If You Want Me
by Poetgirl925
Summary: Chloe steps outside her comfort zone while on an internship in Star City, California. Returning to Metropolis, she's determined to focus on her career while attempting to fix the mess her personal life is in. But just when things seem to be getting back to normal, Oliver Queen arrives in Metropolis and complicates everything.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: This is basically a fun piece that I started writing a few months ago after hearing the song 'Boring' by Pink – it really seemed to fit Chlollie. I'd recommend Googling the lyrics or listening to it because it was what specifically gave me this story idea. Throw out canon – this is an altered season 7-8 and it's a shorter fic like 'On Making Wishes' or 'Red K Caper'. Hope you have as much fun reading as I did writing!**

**Chapter 1**

It was the way she was standing that first caught his attention.

In an alley in one of the worst parts of Star City, she exuded an attitude of confidence, like nothing could touch her. It would have amused him if it weren't borderline suicidal.

Just as he was getting ready to cross to the next rooftop and drop down for a chat with the intriguing little blonde, someone else got there first.

"All alone, sweetheart?" The voice belonged to a guy who, while young, looked like a stereotypical gangbanger, and he carried the requisite switchblade to back up his image.

The blonde looked up, eyes sweeping over the man in front of her. "Sorry to disappoint you, but I'm meeting someone."

"Well, I'll keep you company," he offered suggestively. "I'll give you a real thrill."

The blonde suddenly raised her hands, and Oliver saw she was holding a Taser gun. "You're not my type. Now unless you want to get a _real thrill_ from this, keep walking."

She had balls – he had to give her that. Oliver leapt to the neighboring rooftop silently and readied himself to drop down behind the gangbanger, who was now shifting from foot to foot in agitation.

"Bitch, I will cut you." It didn't sound like an idle threat.

He landed behind the gangbanger. "You need lessons on how to treat a lady."

The younger man whirled around, knife coming up in a striking motion which Oliver blocked easily before landing a solid punch to the man's jaw. A second later, he shuddered and dropped to the ground unconscious.

Oliver raised his brows and glanced from the probes that had hit the guy to the blonde currently pointing her Taser gun at him. "Hey there – easy. I'm the good guy."

The blonde raised a brow. "The good guy carrying a crossbow in a dark alley? You'll forgive me if I decide to err on the side of disbelief." Her hands were steady, and Oliver didn't really doubt she'd tase him if she decided he was a threat.

That was the downfall of starting out in the hero business – the people he tried to help were usually afraid of him. He couldn't help grinning at her bravado as he raised his hands in mock surrender. "Oh, come on. Do I really look like the bad guy here? I did just swoop in to save you."

"Well, you are sneaking around alleys at night. Then again, the local gangs would probably laugh you out of the hood for wearing green leather tights."

"Pants, not tights," he corrected her. He cast an appraising look at the young woman before him. Dressed in dark jeans, a pink silk blouse and a dark brown, lightweight blazer, she looked like one of the local university students. Or a young professional – he noted she was carrying a laptop bag. Blonde hair that skimmed the tops of her shoulders, big eyes, and a fresh faced girl-next-door kind of beauty tipped the scale in favor of student.

"Semantics," she scoffed. "So if you're one of the good guys, I'm guessing you might be the mysterious vigilante I've been hearing rumors of lately, making a dent in crime one arrow at a time."

He chose to ignore that. "This alley isn't safe even during daylight hours. You shouldn't be here."

"All the commotion has probably scared off the person I was meeting anyway," she replied. "If they even decided to show up."

"This meeting – business or pleasure?" Not his business, but he couldn't quell his sudden curiosity.

"Do I look like the kind of girl who gets off on dirty alleys? I was following a story."

"You're a reporter?" She didn't look like any reporter he'd ever seen, but then he was usually followed around by the worst of the lot.

"I will be when I finish school," she answered, confirming his student theory. "So what should I call you?"

Oliver shot an arrow up into the ledge of a building, pulling the line to test it. "I'm sure you'll come up with something." He soared upwards, catching the side of the fire escape and using it to make his way onto the roof. He edged around the side of the building and jumped to the next rooftop, following the blonde as she walked briskly back into a busier area of the city and hailed a cab that disappeared into the steady stream of traffic.

* * *

_Star City, one year later_

Chloe followed her cousin Lucy into one of the hottest nightclubs in Star City, wishing that she'd opted for her bunny slippers and a cup of the new French roast she'd picked up that afternoon. But Lucy was a lot like Lois in that she was a force to be reckoned with when she had her mind set on something.

She eyed the long line skeptically, already damning the heels her cousin had forced on her. "Lucy, this line is ridiculous. We're never getting in here."

Lucy flipped her long brown hair over her shoulder and raised a brow. "I told you, I've got a guy."

Chloe snorted in amusement. Lucy had a lot of guys in a lot of places that she tended to string along, but she doubted that was going to help with their present situation. "I've been here for two months and you just got here yesterday. I really don't think…" she broke off as Lucy suddenly waved at one of the bouncers, who grinned and motioned them forward.

"Lucy – looking good." The tall, burly bouncer eyed both of them appreciatively. He lifted the rope to let them in, ignoring the groans of protest from those in line. "No VIP pass this time though – it's full."

Lucy pouted. "Really? There's nothing you can do?"

He looked genuinely regretful. "Sorry. Special event going on."

She shrugged and grabbed Chloe's arm. "No worries. Thanks, Ty."

Ty smiled and led them through the nightclub to a small table that was strategically placed to have a great view of the bar, dance floor, and the coveted VIP area that was situated to their right. Once they were seated, he waved over a bartender. "First drinks are on the house. Enjoy your night, ladies." He winked at Lucy before walking away.

"So how do you know Ty?" Chloe asked, raising her voice to be heard over the beat of the music.

"I met him in L.A. last year. He's cool – he's a club promoter." Lucy scanned the drink menu before looking at the bartender. "Vodka martini with lime."

"Club promoter? I thought he was a bouncer," she replied as she looked over her own menu. "I'll have the Mai Tai."

"We should order a Flaming Volcano later," Lucy said, setting her menu down.

Chloe glanced down the menu until she found the Flaming Volcano. "That looks huge, Lu – like 32 ounces of knock me on my ass huge."

"Oh, come on – we could share it."

"I don't want to be hung over this weekend. I'm leaving on Monday and we have dinner plans with Uncle Sam tomorrow night." One of them had to be the voice of reason, and that role usually fell to Chloe when spending time with either of her cousins.

"Seriously, Chloe, you need to loosen up. Which is what tonight is about. And even if we had the mother of all hangovers, Daddy wouldn't blame you. You may be a year older, but he thinks you can do no wrong – valedictorian of your high school, internships with top newspapers every summer, and set to graduate with honors from Met U next year. Meanwhile Lois barely finished high school, dropped out of college, and is writing about Elvis sightings and flying barn doors for a tabloid. And I'm a fashion design student – only slightly above the flying barn door in his eyes."

"Lois is pitching to major newspapers all the time, and she's definitely improving. I've put in a good word for her with my editor," Chloe replied. "And you just finished an internship in Paris, Lucy. That wasn't easy to get."

Lucy shrugged. "I know I worked hard for it. Try telling that to the General. Anyway, I'm glad you were still here in Star City while we were in town. Dad has meetings with some aircraft guys…"

"Ferris Aircraft," Chloe reminded her.

"Whatever. And I hardly ever get to see you when Lois isn't around."

Chloe suppressed a sigh; it was no secret that Lois and Lucy didn't get along very well, and she had played referee to more than one of their knock-down-drag-outs over the years. She thought the problem wasn't so much that they were different since she got along well with both of them, and she couldn't be more different from her larger than life cousins. It had more to do with the fact that Lois had taken on a mothering role to Lucy that she'd had a hard time letting go of. And the older Lucy got, the more she resented it.

Chloe could understand that since she had first-hand experience with how impossibly overbearing her older cousin could be. When she and Jimmy Olsen had rekindled their long ago flame two years ago, Lois had not been a fan. She grew to tolerate Jimmy in a friendly way, but it was pretty clear to everyone that she expected the young photographer to be a mere stepping stone on the relationship path.

Despite Lois' attitude, Chloe's residual feelings for her best friend Clark, and her ongoing battle with hiding her sidekicking role from Jimmy, they'd weathered the ups and downs fairly well. And then Chloe caught him flirting with Clark's cousin, Kara. Not one to brush things under the rug, she called him out on it and in the midst of that argument Lois walked in.

The whole night had been one big mess, and at the end of it Chloe told Jimmy she wanted to take a break. And to really give herself some distance, she accepted another summer internship offer from the _Star City Gazette_. She had interned there the summer before, and she'd genuinely enjoyed her time in sunny California. She felt like the last two months had definitely given her some much needed perspective. She and Jimmy hadn't spoken since their breakup, but she figured she would deal with that when she got back. Either way, they had to find a way to get along for the sake of their working relationship.

"Besides, you promised that I was in charge of tonight's entertainment," Lucy went on, a mischievous smile lighting up her face. "You finally broke up with that yawn worthy douchebag…"

"His name is Jimmy," Chloe interrupted, rolling her eyes. Trust that her love life would be the only thing the Lane sisters could agree on. "And he's not a douchebag, Lucy."

"He was hitting on Clark's cornfield beauty queen cousin behind your back, Chlo. That spells douchebag in every dictionary," Lucy said as their drinks arrived. She took a sip before continuing. "If it were me or Lois, what would you tell us?"

_That he was a douchebag_, she thought. Only in her case it was more complicated because Jimmy had a major point when he accused her of being both emotionally and physically unavailable. It didn't totally excuse his behavior, but she believed him when he said nothing had happened beyond them hanging out together. Regardless, there had been some interest there and it still hurt. She knew that was the only part that Lois and Lucy cared about.

"Your problem is that you've only had this one serious boyfriend Chloe. My personal recommendation is that you take this opportunity to have a fling. It gives a girl an idea of what her options are."

The idea that her younger cousin was having 'flings' was slightly cringe worthy. "I think we both know I'm not really the fling type."

"You're not seriously going to waste all the work that went into getting us ready for tonight, are you?"

She had a point. Chloe looked down at her dress, an off the shoulder black mini in a soft jersey material. Black was not a color she usually favored given her pale complexion, but after two months in the California sun, she had a sun kissed glow that paired well with it. She'd spent far too much money on the little designer number, but with the peacock blue heels adding several inches to her modest height, she felt sexy and confident.

Lucy had lent her some signature pieces of jewelry she'd gotten in Paris – a few silver bangles accented with aquamarine stones and matching chandelier earrings that really popped against the dark fabric of her dress. They'd hit a high end spa that afternoon, a gift from the General, and Chloe's freshly trimmed hair fell in loose, silky waves to the tops of her shoulders. A makeup artist at the salon had given Chloe a dewy summer look and a subtle smoky eye that she hoped she would be able to recreate.

She couldn't deny that she felt more glamorous than she could remember feeling in a long time. Maybe part of it was being in a new place; no one knew Chloe Sullivan here aside from the other interns and reporters she'd worked with at the Gazette over the summer. If there were ever a time to have a fling, it would be now.

"Come on, Chloe. WWLD, right?"

Chloe laughed. 'What Would Lois Do' had been a favorite game of Lucy's when they were younger, before she'd become aggravated by her older sister's bossiness. "I don't know."

"Chloe, I hate to say you're boring, but…"

She felt a little twinge at that, remembering how Lois had declared her relationship with Jimmy a snooze fest shortly after meeting him. Alien best friends and meteor freaks aside, was she really that boring?

"Okay, I'll make a deal with you," she finally said. "I refuse to have a fling based solely on my cousin pressuring me into it – this isn't high school. But what if I agree to be open to the idea tonight provided that the right opportunity presents itself?"

The possibility alone was enough to send a tingle of excitement along her nerve endings. She wasn't entirely sure she could go through with it, but the idea that she _might_ had her looking around the club with renewed interest.

Lucy grinned smugly. "I'll take it. Now drink up so we can hit the dance floor and see what kind of hotties we're dealing with tonight."

* * *

It was her hair that caught his attention, gleaming blonde waves that seemed to catch and hold the lights on the dance floor; odd since his taste usually ran more towards brunettes. Oliver shifted his position in order to get a better look at the girl. There was something familiar about her that he couldn't quite place, and it was enough to hold his interest.

He sipped his scotch, only vaguely aware of his date running her hand along his arm. The blonde was petite with long legs shown to their best advantage by a short hemline and the four inch heels she was wearing. The rounded curve of her hips hugged by the snug fit of her dress brought to mind a slew of images that immediately spiked his pulse.

_Sex in heels_, he thought. Her dance partner thought so too if his body language was anything to go by. He moved closer to her whenever he had the chance. Oliver wondered if the guy was her boyfriend. After observing the way she kept a deliberate distance between them, he didn't think so.

He caught a glimpse of her profile as she tilted her head to speak to a tall brunette dancing beside her. The feeling that he knew her struck him again, and he started flipping through images of girls he'd met recently. Something about meeting her at a club didn't seem right though.

Then she turned in his direction and walked by with her brunette friend, who was laughing at something the blonde said. Oliver sucked in a breath, surprised as he realized why she was familiar. It was the girl from the alley. It must have been at least a year since he'd seen her that night, armed with her Taser and brazenly facing down two different strangers in the space of minutes.

He'd never met anyone like her before or since, and he'd found himself wondering about her a few times on his nightly patrols. He recalled that she'd been a journalism student. SCU or even UCLA were both possibilities since she might only be home for the summer; she also might have graduated by now.

Oliver shifted again to keep the two women in his line of sight. They were now sitting at a table to his left, and he recognized the man who had walked over to talk to them – Ty Mabry, a local club promoter.

"Oliver, are you even listening to me?"

The plaintive tone of his date jerked his attention back to the present. He flashed a smile though his earlier interest had cooled considerably. Still, he supposed he owed it to her to make an effort. They rejoined their group, and his friend Hal shot him a questioning look which he shrugged off.

For the next half hour he kept his attention focused on his date, a lingerie model / eye candy actress who was hanging on his arm in order to generate buzz for her upcoming film. Oliver didn't kid himself it was more than publicity for either of them, but he'd definitely considered sleeping with her before he'd spotted the blonde. Hell, he didn't even know her name. Suddenly that mattered to him.

When his date made a restroom exit, Oliver walked back over to the rail. The blonde was still at the table, laughing as a fiery drink was set down between her and the other girl – a Flaming Volcano by the looks of it. He caught the bartender's eye as he passed.

"What can I get you, Mr. Queen?"

Oliver nodded to the blonde's table. "Put their tab with mine and ask them if they want to join us."

The bartender didn't seem surprised by the request, and Oliver watched as he walked over to talk to the two girls. He didn't know the blonde's name yet, but he was about to rectify that.

**Up Next: WWLD :)**


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Chloe took a sip of the Flaming Volcano and wrinkled her nose. "Lucy, this is way too strong for me."

"It's not that bad," Lucy argued, taking a longer drink through her straw.

"I'm beginning to think the Lane genes include a reinforced liver and a faulty sense of taste," she replied, shuddering slightly as she took another sip. "I won't be able to walk out of here if I drink this."

"Excuse me, ladies."

Chloe looked up to see the bartender who had just brought the Flaming Volcano to their table. "Yes?"

"Mr. Queen asked that you join him in the VIP area. He's hosting a private party."

Lucy's head whipped around and Chloe followed her gaze to see Oliver Queen standing near the railing of the VIP section. And he was looking right at their table.

Chloe fought the urge to glance behind her, wondering if she was mistaken about who he was looking at. Puzzled, she asked, "Are you sure he asked for us?"

The bartender nodded. "He also told me to add whatever you're having to his bill."

Lucy turned back to her cousin in excitement. "Let's go."

"Whoa, Lucy." Chloe looked back at the handsome billionaire, unquestionably Star City's most famous resident. "I don't know…"

"Are you kidding? Chloe, that's Oliver Queen. Women line up in multiple countries to get in VIP rooms with him. We can't say no."

"Lucy, this is my second summer in Star City – I know who Oliver Queen is," Chloe replied, exasperated. "What I don't know is why he's suddenly taken an interest in us."

"Yeah, I don't think it's 'us' he's interested in, Chloe." Lucy smirked. "You're the one he hasn't taken his eyes off of."

Chloe looked at him again, suddenly aware that Lucy was right – he was looking right at her. It wasn't the first time she had seen Oliver Queen out in public. She'd covered a few of his speaking engagements during her internships with the Gazette, and she'd seen him at a club opening last summer. He was in and out before she even got past the entrance though.

The Gazette was full of news regarding the billionaire CEO. They tended to stick mostly to business, leaving the rumor mill to be reported by the seedier rags in town. But occasionally they ran photos and little blurbs in the society pages – Oliver Queen accompanied by this actress or that model, though usually not the same one for more than a few weeks at a time.

He'd recently been linked to Ava Brooks, a lingerie model who had turned her hand to acting. While her acting skills were amateur at best, the critics were labeling her a visual treat for the summer blockbuster field. Chloe's self-esteem had taken its share of hits over the years, but it wasn't crippled. She knew she was attractive, but she'd seen the photos of his dates, most of whom had about six to eight inches and a full cup size on her. So she really didn't think it was self-deprecating to wonder what exactly he wanted with her.

And yet there he was, still looking at her. He smiled at her a bit playfully and nodded his head in a gesture that reinforced his desire for her to join him. He was interested in her; that much was clear. It was still strangely unexpected, but she couldn't deny she wanted to go over there.

Chloe hesitated and looked at Lucy, who narrowed her eyes. "Chloe, if you turn him down I will have to disown you. I'm pretty sure no one says no to Oliver Queen."

_No one says no to Oliver Queen_. She had no doubt Lucy was correct about that. Lois always said it was a bad idea to give a guy what he wanted right away. So what would Lois do?

She looked at the bartender and smiled. "Tell him we appreciate the offer, but we're ok where we are."

The bartender suddenly looked a lot more amused by his errand and walked away to deliver the message.

Chloe held up a hand in an appeasing gesture. "Before you kill me, I'm testing a theory."

Lucy propped her chin on her hand and gazed at Chloe sorrowfully. "I can't believe you just did that."

"Lucy, how many times a day do you think he hears the word no? From anyone, but especially from women. Because I've seen him work a press conference before, and my guess is he doesn't find 'no' an acceptable answer to any question he asks." If nothing else, Chloe was confident she'd pegged that aspect of his personality correctly.

"Oh." Lucy straightened up. "WWLD – but what if he changes his mind?"

"Then I'm no worse off than I was at the beginning of the night. If I go to him, he has the upper hand." He'd probably have the upper hand regardless, but she knew she'd feel more comfortable if the playing field was leveled, at least a little. "_If_ he comes over here and _if_ I feel comfortable with him, then… we'll see. But I'm not about to roll over and beg for it from a rich playboy who probably has more notches on his bedpost than IQ points."

Lucy laughed at that. "God, I would beg for it. He is so hot."

Chloe had to force herself not to look back in his direction because Lucy was right – he was hot times infinity and then some. Unfortunately, he probably knew exactly the effect he had on women and used it to his advantage. She only wished she knew what she'd done to get his attention because that would be a handy trick to have in her bag for future girls' nights out.

* * *

When the bartender came back and told Oliver that his offer had been declined, he was surprised. Maybe he shouldn't have been though because from the moment he first saw her, she'd shown that she tended to do things her own way. She hadn't been frightened by the threats of her would be attacker, nor had she been awed by a sighting of the resident vigilante. So it wasn't a stretch that she might not be overly impressed by his public persona either.

She had definitely noticed him checking her out, though at first it looked like she was confused by the bartender's message. When she looked up and saw him, he made it clear that his interest was in her rather than her companion. He'd even seen a curious interest of her own before she looked away and turned him down.

The question now was whether to drop it or pursue it. Ava returned and attempted to engage his attention, but he wasn't in the mood to placate her. He assumed that she'd grown tired of his distraction because she kept to the other side of the room talking to a few actors in town on the summer press junket tour.

It wasn't long before Hal joined him. "You know, you're going to be dateless at the end of the night if you don't put in some effort. You do have a reputation to uphold."

"What kind of girl refuses a VIP invite?" Oliver asked, genuinely curious.

"Are we talking in general, or is there a specific situation here?"

Oliver nodded over to the blonde's table. She and her friend had been joined by Ty Mabry again, as well as some of his friends.

Hal looked back at Oliver. "Which one are we talking about?"

"The blonde," Oliver replied. "Remember that girl I told you about last summer – the one with the Taser?"

"That's her?" Hal focused on the blonde girl with renewed interest. "She doesn't look like she'd have that much attitude."

"You'd be surprised," Oliver said drily. "I asked the bartender to extend an invitation to join us, and she said no."

"Ouch. I don't know – girlfriend, maybe?" He gestured to her brunette companion.

"Nope – I've been watching them for a while. They're not a couple," he said confidently. "And I don't think she has a boyfriend either – I'm getting a single girls' night vibe."

"So then what kind of single, heterosexual girl isn't into Oliver Queen?" Hal tapped the rail thoughtfully. "I'd say one of taste and substance - which means you're out of luck."

He should have realized that Hal would find this amusing. "I was looking more for helpful suggestions."

"Well, she doesn't seem to like that drink on the table. Send something over. Every girl likes Cristal."

Ten minutes later, Hal said, "Okay, I stand corrected. I hate to say it man, but maybe she's just not that into you. Meanwhile, the bartending staff is getting a real kick out of this."

Oliver had noticed the slight smirk on the bartender's face after he returned the Cristal. _Asshole_, he thought. He was starting to feel frustrated. "I could go over there."

"Has any girl ever shot you down publicly? Just saying – your ego may take a hit." Hal was clearly enjoying himself.

"There was a moment when she first looked at me that she seemed interested," Oliver said. "Maybe I just need to alter my approach."

Hal asked, "So you're thinking about what? Getting to know her or just taking her home tonight?"

Oliver pushed away from the rail and grinned. "If I'm lucky? All of the above."

* * *

Chloe pulled out her phone and scrolled through her messages as she waited for Lucy to return from the bar. When a couple of bottles clinked against the table she looked up with a start to see Oliver sliding a chair closer to her.

He sat down and flashed a charming smile. "Hi."

"Hi," she said, trying to hide her surprise. After she sent back the Cristal, she saw him and his friend move away from the rail to rejoin their group. She'd honestly thought he was done.

"Oliver Queen." He held out a hand.

She placed her hand in his, half expecting him to do something cheesy like kiss it. Instead, he squeezed gently before releasing her. "I know who you are."

"Then you have me at a disadvantage," he pointed out.

Chloe hesitated for a moment. "Lois," she finally said.

"I have to say, Lois, I was disappointed when you turned down my invitation," Oliver commented with a nod to the VIP area. "And then you sent back the Cristal. Rejection hurts, you know."

Wow, he was good – all boyish charm with a touch of arrogance. Not to mention that smile. She wondered if he practiced it or if it was a natural gift. "Sorry. I guess I'm just not a VIP and Cristal kind of girl."

He nodded. "That's fair – I thought you might like to try something else." He held up a hand to the bartender, who brought over a couple of glasses for the bottles of beer.

Chloe watched as he popped the cork on the first bottle. She had never been much of a beer drinker, but this wasn't like any beer she'd tried before. "What kind of beer is that?"

"Local craft beer," he answered, pouring the amber liquid into the glasses. "It's dark, Belgian inspired ale. This one is brewed with locally grown sugar plums and some other dark fruits. Here, try it."

Chloe accepted the glass and sniffed appreciatively. "Oh – it doesn't smell like beer." She took a small sip and let it roll across her tongue, surprised by the taste. "It's kind of sweet, but it's a dry sweetness. I've never tried ale before, but I like it."

Oliver smiled and raised his glass, clinking it against hers. "To new experiences."

She couldn't help wondering what other new experiences he might have in mind. From the corner of her eye, she saw Lucy at the bar watching them as she chatted with Ty and a couple of the bartenders. It was clear that Lucy had no intention of interrupting them, so Chloe was on her own.

"So Lois – tell me about yourself. Are you from Star City?"

He was leaning closer now and making full eye contact. Chloe suppressed a shiver. "No. I'm just here for the summer." She decided to leave out the part where she was leaving on Monday.

When she didn't elaborate, he prompted her. "Where's home for you?"

She took another sip of the ale. "Right now, the Midwest. I'm a journalism student."

"Print or television?"

She was surprised that he seemed genuinely interested. "Print. I'll finish up this year."

"Are you in town visiting family?"

"Something like that." She could see that her lack of specifics was frustrating him; he was probably used to women talking a lot more about themselves.

He switched tactics. "What brought you out tonight?"

"Just having a girls' night," she answered, draining her glass. "Although it appears Lucy is abandoning me."

Oliver opened the second bottle and poured the dark brew into their glasses. "Lucy is your…?"

"Sister." _Might as well commit to the lie_, she thought. Being someone else in a different city far from home was freeing. She didn't have to worry about Clark or meteor freak interruptions for one thing. That had always put a definite damper on date night.

"And what does Lucy do?"

"She's a fashion design student. She just finished an internship in Paris."

For the next couple of hours she and Oliver talked. He introduced her to another type of ale, as well as a draft cider as they shared a small appetizer plate that paired well with the brews. Chloe felt pleasantly buzzed by the time the waiter came by to take the appetizer plate away. When Oliver put his arm around her, she realized he had moved even closer to her at some point, and she hadn't even noticed.

The feel of his hand against the bare skin of her shoulder was doing warm, squirmy things to her insides. She took a breath and glanced over at the VIP area to see Ava Brooks at the rail looking at them with displeasure, though she immediately masked it when she met Chloe's eyes. Ava turned back to her companions and laughed at something they were talking about.

Chloe looked at Oliver with a raised brow when she saw he had noticed Ava as well. "Girlfriend?"

"Publicity date," he said with a shrug. "She's doing press junkets."

"Kind of an A-list party," she commented. "Won't they miss you?"

"Only Hal – the rest are more casual acquaintances." He leaned in as he spoke and trailed a finger down her cheek. "You know, your eyes are amazing. Green is my favorite color."

"Thanks." She reached for her glass and took a drink of her cider, hoping it would have a cooling effect on her libido. She'd never been into overt PDA, but if he kept touching her she was afraid she was going to forget that and crawl into his lap.

She was a little relieved when they were interrupted by a tall, dark-haired man. "Hey Ollie, I think this party is getting ready to break up. You joining us? We're going to The Loft next."

"That depends on the lady," Oliver replied. "Lois, this is my friend Hal."

"Nice to meet you, Lois. And you should come, hang out, be social. Bring your friend – it'll be fun."

Chloe saw that Lucy was still at the bar. She pulled away from Oliver and said, "Let me just talk to Lucy first."

Lucy, of course, was on board with the change of venue. "Let's go."

"Lucy…" She stopped and took a breath. "He thinks I'm Lois and that we're sisters."

"I wish," Lucy said with humor. "So why lie?"

"Because if I do this, it's a one and done thing, for obvious reasons." Even though she'd told Lucy she would consider a fling, she realized now that she hadn't been very serious about the idea. But Oliver was clearly willing and available – at least for the night. The biggest surprise was how much she wanted it.

"He seems pretty into you. But then there's the fact that you're leaving, and the whole geographical dilemma, so I get it. Either way, you'd be crazy not to."

The whole situation felt crazy, no matter which path she chose. But crazy or not, she felt like she'd already made her decision.

* * *

The Loft featured a more intimate environment, and the mood was mellow. After Oliver's entourage settled in, Oliver pulled Lois away from the group once again. Her sister was obviously very social and had no problem mixing with new people, and he wanted more alone time with his mysterious blonde.

He guided her over to the bar. "Want anything?"

She ran her finger down the cocktail menu. "No more ale, but I'm cautious about mixing beer and liquor."

"Well, you started with liquor, and we had water. It's probably fine."

Lois perused the menu for a moment. "Appletini. I haven't had one of those in forever."

Once they had their drinks, Oliver led her to a large, private balcony that faced the harbor. A light breeze carried the smell of the ocean, and he laughed as she set her drink down on a table and spread her arms in delight, breathing deeply.

"I love the smell of the ocean," she said, smiling at him.

Oliver grabbed her hand and pulled her in closer so he could rest his hands on her hips. "You're kind of adorable."

"You only say that because you've never seen me in a caffeine deprivation funk. I've been told it's scary." She turned and gazed out at the lights of the harbor. "I'll definitely miss California."

"When are you leaving?"

She turned to face him again. She seemed hesitant to answer, and he thought she might ignore the question.

Finally, she answered him. "Monday."

A feeling of disappointment settled in his stomach. "That soon, huh? Will you come back?"

"No, probably not."

She didn't give him any details, something she'd avoided doing all night in fact. "Getting answers from you is like trying to catch a hummingbird, Lois. You're here for a moment, gone the next, and very good at deflecting."

"And what would you do if you caught me?" She tilted her head back to look at him curiously.

Oliver slid his hands higher, pulling her in closer, and she didn't protest as he lowered his head to press his lips to hers in a series of soft, teasing kisses. When he pulled back, her eyes were dark, reflecting the same desire he felt.

He stroked a gentle hand down her hair. "I think we both know what I want. And it seems like we want the same thing. If I'm on the wrong page here then tell me."

"First I should tell you what I don't want," she said softly. "I don't want to be another girl who ended up in your bed and thought it was more than it was. And that may sound harsh, but we both know there's truth to it. Another truth is that I'm leaving on Monday and it is highly unlikely I'll ever be here again. So if I let you catch me, it's with the knowledge that we understand what this is."

There were a lot of situations where Oliver would have welcomed those words, but this wasn't one of them. _And Monday is still a few days away_, he thought. He stepped back to sit in a chair and pulled her between his knees. "We still have the weekend."

Lois didn't answer him. Sliding her arms around his neck, she allowed him to pull her into his lap, and he nearly groaned aloud at the torture of feeling her warm, soft body against his.

"God, this feels good."

He was pleased that her voice was shaky, showing that he affected her the same way she did him. "You know, I do have a jet. And I do take as many weekends off as I can."

She kissed him again, opening her mouth to let his tongue sweep against hers. When they pulled apart, she said, "I suppose you have a big boat too… and then there's that fancy sports car you drove us here in."

"I have a yacht – we could take it out tomorrow if you want to see it. And I have a few fast cars if you want to go for a ride."

She pressed her lips beneath his ear and whispered, "Boring."

His fingers tightened on her hips, and he laughed. "Really?"

"Hmm." She darted her tongue out against his neck, leaning back with a satisfied smile when he drew a quick breath. "One percenters with black AmEx cards have never held much interest for me."

If any other girl had said that, he might have thought she was lying. In his experience, every woman liked the money and status that accompanied a relationship with him, however brief it might be. Lois, though – he had a feeling she was telling him the absolute truth. "You don't know what you're missing."

"I doubt it," she murmured. "Yachting with your ridiculously hot friends, publicity dates with lingerie models, VIP parties…" she shifted in his lap and ran her fingers through the hair at the nape of his neck as she kissed him again.

"Let me guess. Boring?" God, he was so turned on. He pulled her as close as he could and kissed her, hard. He moved one hand down, resting it against her knee and allowing his fingers to trace the soft skin of her inner thigh.

She buried her face against his neck and squeaked. "That tickles."

Oliver pulled her in for more kisses, beginning with light caresses that gradually turned more passionate. When she started circling her hips against him, he groaned. "Whoa – okay. We're starting something we can't finish – not here anyway." He wrapped his arms around her, and she rested her head against his shoulder, both of them taking deep breaths to calm down.

After a few minutes, he said, "Let me catch you tonight. We can talk about the rest tomorrow."

She ran her hand down his chest and across his stomach, causing the muscles there to tense.

"I'm going to say yes – mostly because I really want to know more about the six pack I can feel hiding beneath your shirt," she said, her tone teasing. "How does a CEO find time to stay in that kind of shape?"

"Personal gym at home and the office," he answered her with a smirk. "I also like extreme sports. Still bored?"

"Not so much." She slid off his lap and stepped back, smoothing her hair before heading for the door. "If you want me, better come catch me."

Oliver followed within seconds, knowing there was no way in hell he was going to let her get away from him tonight. He caught up with her quickly and kept her close as she said goodbye to her sister, promising to call later. He had long sobered up, but the low level hum of sexual excitement he felt around her made him feel almost buzzed.

He led her outside to his car, a silver BMW Spyder he'd recently purchased, and they made the drive to his penthouse in silence. When they arrived, he killed the engine and looked over at her. "You haven't changed your mind, have you?"

She smiled at him. "I'm not going to change my mind."

Something inside him relaxed. He couldn't remember the last time he'd had to pursue a woman the way he'd pursued Lois all night. He didn't know why, but she was holding back – most likely out of a fear of being hurt. He supposed he could understand that. For tonight, he had her. He'd deal with the rest tomorrow.

**A/N: A lot of the inspiration for this chapter came from the song 'Boring' by Pink – the theme is recurring throughout the story. I was hoping I'd find a Chlollie vid on YT to that song, but alas no. If you like Olicity (Arrow), Smoak Arrow did use the song for an Arrow vid that features the whole cast. I don't do song fics exactly, but if you know another cute, fun song that you think could inspire a story, let me know. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: The beginning of this chapter is rated M**

**Chapter 3**

Oliver woke suddenly, senses alert until he realized what had startled him was the shifting movement of the small blonde woman beside him. The faint light, diffused by the sheers over his balcony windows, advertised the coming dawn as he reached for her. She rolled towards him with a small sigh he couldn't help smiling at.

She was soft and relaxed in sleep, but she'd been something different the night before – passionate and responsive in ways that had sent his libido into overdrive. They had entered the penthouse through his private entrance and things got heated in the elevator until she noticed the camera. While he'd assured her that he was the only one with access to it, she'd seemed to find it off-putting.

So he'd slowed things down, opening a bottle of wine and leading her out to the large balcony that ran the length of his bayside penthouse. With one side facing the bay and the other the city, the penthouse offered incredible views. It was just one of the reasons he'd bought the large property a few years earlier.

He'd intended to take things slowly, but his good intentions were banished after heated kisses turned to a full scale make out session against the balcony railing. The first time was a bit of a blur with clothes being discarded in a frenzied trail leading to his bedroom. She'd been hot and so tight he'd known immediately that she wasn't nearly as experienced as he'd first thought. Her eager responses more than made up for any lack of experience; they'd barely finished round one before he wanted her all over again, and he'd held onto his control a little more tightly the second time around.

Looking at her now, she seemed impossibly innocent, and he wasn't sure why he'd made assumptions about her level of experience. Probably because he didn't often associate with women who _weren't_ experienced. Knowing the score was a prerequisite as far as he was concerned. He really didn't have the time to devote to anything more complicated.

And yet here he was, considering ways to stay in contact with her after she left. She'd been so cagey about the details that he didn't have much to go on – she had a year to go finishing her journalism degree somewhere in the Midwest, and he knew this was at least her second summer in Star City. But she'd seemed pretty certain about not returning again, leading him to wonder what had brought her here to begin with.

Lack of details aside, he had a jet and he frequently traveled for business coast to coast, so the possibility of a stopover somewhere along the way wasn't out of the realm of possibility. And he was free this weekend – no business for QI or the League for once. He had plenty of time to find out what he wanted to know before Monday.

Oliver pulled the sheet down, exposing her body, and she shivered in response. He followed the curve of her shoulder down her arm and back up in a soothing gesture before allowing his fingers to drift across her collarbone and down to her navel. She sighed as he reversed the trail, his hand cupping her breast and massaging until he felt the tip stiffen in response.

His mouth followed, suckling gently while his hand continued across her ribcage, along the dip of her waist and over her hip to massage the round flesh of her ass. It was definitely one of his favorite parts of her body. His fingers flexed, squeezing hard as he felt his own arousal swell.

He saw that she was awake now and watching him, her breathing shallow and rapid. He hooked his hand behind her knee and pulled her thigh across his hip, and she moaned softly when his hand slipped between her legs. Wetness already coated the soft folds, and his finger slipped easily into her depths.

Her quick, indrawn breath alerted him to the fact that she was probably still sensitive. Keeping the movements of his hand slow, he kissed her. "Sore?"

She bit her lip and nodded, but rather than pull away from him, she angled her hips to allow him to go deeper. "A little, but I don't want you to stop."

"Good because I don't want to stop," he whispered, kissing her neck. His thumb found the little bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs and circled.

She reached out and squeezed his arm, nails biting into him. He watched her expression carefully to gauge any discomfort she was feeling. When she began moving her hips against him, he added a second finger, and she came almost immediately, burying her face against his shoulder.

Oliver couldn't help feeling a bit of smugness because she looked so utterly satisfied. Her legs shook as she turned onto her back, and she looked at him. "That was…"

"Stupendous? Amazing? The absolute best orgasm you've ever had – at least since a few hours ago?" He grinned and nipped her shoulder.

She giggled. "No comment. Clearly women have inflated your ego in the past."

"Hey, if it's true, why embrace false modesty?" He reached for a condom on his bedside table and rolled it on before stretching out above her. "Now, where were we?"

She drew her knees up to his waist, allowing him to brush against her. When he lowered his hips and rubbed against her hard, she drew in a breath and tensed slightly.

He kissed her. "Don't worry – I can be gentle."

"Gentle, huh?" She lifted her head and placed a sucking kiss against his neck that made him tense with sudden need. Then she whispered, "Boring."

That was all it took to make him lose the control he'd been hanging on to. He sat back and turned her to lie on her stomach before he raised her hips and entered her swiftly. He planted an elbow beside him and stretched along her back to find the right position, pushing one of her knees forward slightly.

His movements were controlled but certainly not gentle as he thrust against her again and again. Oliver cupped her breast before spreading his hand along her chest, holding her in place. Her head was turned to the left, and he realized she was watching their movements in the mirror above his dresser, her face pink with excitement.

He leaned down and kissed her neck, whispering, "Do you like that? Watching me fuck you?" He lifted her hips slightly to change the angle of entry, pushing even deeper.

"Oh my… yes," she moaned in response. "Right there."

Within minutes she was tightening around him in release, and he bit down on her shoulder as he followed moments later.

Oliver's heart was pounding, and his arms trembled with the task of holding his full weight off her. Finally he pulled away, disposing of the condom before collapsing back onto the bed beside her. She was still lying on her stomach, her arms beside her head, eyes closed, though he didn't think she was sleeping.

He moved next to her, poking her gently. "Are you alive?"

"I don't know," she replied sleepily. "I can't feel my arms or legs."

He smiled and pulled her against him so her head was resting on his chest. "Then my work is done… for now, anyway. We should get a little sleep and then I'll make us some breakfast. After that, we can do anything you want – go out, stay in – your choice."

When she didn't answer, he brushed her hair away from her face to find her eyes closed. He stroked her back gently as he, too, drifted off.

* * *

Chloe feigned sleep until his hand stopped moving against her back and his breathing evened out. Then she shifted ever so slightly – just enough to allow her to see him. She was tired, but the last thing she wanted was to sleep. She wanted to memorize him and store away every last detail – the high cheekbones, straight nose, square jaw, and the dimple in his chin. The strong shoulders, surprisingly muscular arms, broad chest and flat stomach. The narrow hips and long legs. The hands that had brought her such pleasure in the hours she'd spent in his bed.

No, she didn't want to sleep for the same reason she had rejected his gentleness despite the soreness evident in her body. The whole night had been a fantasy straight from the pages of one of Lois' romance novels, and she wanted to remember everything. She wanted to remember the way he tasted, and the spicy scent of his cologne. Twenty years from now, or longer, she wanted to be able to recall with perfect clarity the way he'd moved against her, inside her, and the erotic picture they'd made as she watched their movements in the mirror.

It was beyond tempting to stay with him that day. But Chloe knew that if she did, she ran the risk of making this more than it was. She'd thought she could handle a night of no strings fun. As she'd told Lucy, one and done. But Oliver was more than she'd been expecting, and she could see now that it would be easy to fall for him. Suddenly she had a lot more empathy for the women who threw themselves at him on a regular basis.

Chloe continued to watch him, memorizing his features as she sun rose. She traced his jaw and the hard planes of his chest and stomach, keeping her touch light so as not to wake him. And then she pulled away carefully and left, collecting her clothes on her way to the living room. She used the guest bathroom rather than the one attached to his bedroom, cleaning up and dressing with a grimace as she caught sight of her reflection. She'd definitely be doing the walk of shame, but there was no help for it.

She then began hunting for her bag, finding it half under the sofa. She was just about to step into the elevator when she remembered the cameras that had recorded their frisky activities the night before. Even though Oliver had assured her that he was the only one with access, she couldn't help remembering that the cameras in the parking garage of the ritzy Bayside Hotel had been hacked last summer. Images of him with a local socialite had hit the Internet the following day before being picked up by every tabloid in America.

The idea that she could end up following the Kardashian path to fame had Chloe hunting for the computers that controlled the security cameras, finding them in his office. A few keystrokes got her into the system, and she erased only the footage she was in before turning off the elevator camera and leaving his office. She dug into her bag, making sure she had her phone and hotel key card. Then she checked the zippered pocket for her emergency cash, finding it clipped to a card from her favorite coffee shop in Metropolis.

On impulse, she grabbed a pen from the kitchen counter and wrote on the back of the card, leaving it beside his phone and keys on the coffee table. Then she took the elevator down to the lobby. She hurried past the doorman, face flushed, but he didn't appear to find anything out of the ordinary about a young woman in club wear exiting the elevator of Oliver Queen's penthouse so early in the morning. It was further proof that she had made the right decision by leaving before she risked emotional entanglement.

Luck was with her in her search for a cab, and she was back at her hotel ten minutes later. She used her key card to enter and was surprised to find Lucy asleep on her bed. She bypassed her sleeping cousin and went straight for the shower, washing carefully before wrapping herself in the fluffy bathrobe the hotel provided. She brushed her hair but was too tired to worry about drying it.

Chloe opened the bathroom door and crawled onto the bed, sinking gratefully against the pillows. It was still early, and she hoped to get enough sleep so that she'd be able to get through dinner with her uncle later and not face plant in her dinner plate.

But she'd barely closed her eyes when she felt Lucy turning towards her. "You're back."

"Hmm," Chloe murmured. "Go back to sleep."

Lucy ignored that. "Is everything ok? Why are you back so early?"

"I just wanted to get back and get some sleep. Sleep that you're now keeping me from," Chloe grumbled. She opened her eyes to find Lucy staring at her with a knowing expression.

"No, you wanted to bail before he woke up," she said. "Avoid the awkward morning after or the possibility that he sends you packing."

"Avoid the awkward morning after, yes. But I'll have you know he offered to make me breakfast and take me boating," Chloe retorted. "I don't think he was planning on kicking me out."

"Then you should have stayed. His friend Hal seemed to think Oliver liked you a lot," her cousin replied.

"Lucy, did you forget that I gave him the wrong name? Staying just would have been awkward, and I'm already feeling…" she broke off, not wanting to voice her thoughts.

Lucy seemed to understand what she left unspoken. "I get it. Then you made the right choice. You don't owe him anything, Chloe."

"I know that, but I'm still feeling a little guilty about the lying and the sneaking out this morning. Which is ridiculous because he's Oliver Queen, and ten to one says he's done his share of lying and sneaking on the morning after." Chloe was feeling a lot more emotional about the whole thing than she'd anticipated. She supposed that was proof that when it came down to it, she wasn't the fling type.

"Exactly." Lucy was looking at her with a sympathetic expression. "Just go to sleep. You'll feel better when you wake up and if you don't, we'll put Daddy off until tomorrow."

"You didn't say anything to his friend Hal, did you?"

"No. I left maybe an hour after you did and met up with a few friends at Bungalow. Your secrets are safe."

Somehow that wasn't very comforting at the moment. Swallowing hard against the lump in her throat, Chloe closed her eyes and relaxed, falling asleep soon after.

* * *

A distant beeping noise pulled Oliver from sleep, and he groaned as he sat up and opened his eyes. What the hell was that noise? And where was Lois?

Oliver got up and grabbed a pair of sweatpants from his dresser, slipping them on before making his way into the living room. "Lois?"

There was no answer, and he immediately noticed that in the trail of clothing they'd left, hers were noticeably missing. Had she left?

The beeping sounded again just as his phone rang. He realized now that the beeping was from the security system indicating that someone was in the elevator trying to come up. He grabbed his phone and walked to his office to check the camera. Maybe Lois had gone to her hotel for a change of clothes while it was still early.

Checking the caller ID to see Hal's name, he answered his phone. "Hey hang on a second – someone's in the elevator."

"That would be me," Hal replied. "Victor's been trying to call you, man."

Oliver's brows drew together when he saw the video feed from the elevator was down. He hit the button to allow the elevator up and hung up to go meet his friend at the door.

Hal stepped off the elevator. "Victor called and said someone was messing with your security cameras. He thought it might be you, but when you didn't turn off the alert and you didn't answer your phone, he got worried."

Oliver immediately walked back to his office. "I haven't touched the cameras in a couple of days, but I noticed just now the video is down in the elevator." He pulled up the whole system and saw that the changes had been made that morning; more specifically, video had been accessed and erased before the camera had been turned off.

It didn't take long to realize that the only video that had been accessed and erased was from the previous night. And there had only been one other person in his apartment who could have done it. He stalked back into the living room, searching for any sign of Lois' presence in his apartment. A card on the table by his keys drew his attention. He picked it up.

"_Last night was stupendous, amazing, and the absolute best. I won't forget."_

Oliver turned the card over to see it was from a coffee shop, but not one he was familiar with. Lois hadn't left any other information – no last name, no destination city, no phone number.

"Ollie, would you mind telling me what the hell's going on? The security cameras weren't hacked or Vic would have noticed. So if you didn't mess with the cameras then… wait a minute. That girl – Lois."

"Is gone," Oliver said, tone even. "She must have erased the video on her way out this morning."

Hal looked confused. "Why would she do that?"

"We were kissing and… other stuff on the ride up last night. She seemed worried when she saw the camera." Oliver clenched the card in his fist before tossing it back on the table. He supposed her paranoia might be related to the hacked video scandal that had plagued him last summer.

"So she stayed here last night. She must have been out of here pretty early. When are you seeing her again?"

"Since she left without saying anything and I don't know how to find her before she leaves on Monday, I doubt I will."

"You talked to her for a couple of hours before we went to The Loft. Don't you know anything about her?"

"She didn't give a lot of details," Oliver admitted reluctantly, beginning to feel foolish and more pissed about the whole situation than he wanted to admit. When Hal started laughing, he glared at him. "What the hell is so funny?"

"Sorry," Hal said, not sounding sorry at all. "It's just that you usually have to come up with creative ways to get rid of the ladies the morning after. And now that you met a girl you might actually like to see again? Not only did she jet without so much as a call me maybe, she wiped the freaking video feeds on her way out like she was trying to erase the whole night. It's gotta be some kind of karmic retribution man."

"It's not karmic anything," Oliver ground out. He picked up the card again – The Coffee Mill. Typing the name into his phone's search engine, he found that it was a chain common to the Midwest – namely Kansas and Nebraska. Basically he had nothing – a first name, her sister's first name, and a coffee shop stamp card for the Midwest, where she was a journalism student.

He briefly considered getting Victor involved. It was possible that with a first name, he'd be able to track down some information. But it was clear by the way she'd slipped out without a goodbye that she was planning to leave it at one night. If she had any interest in pursuing it further, she would have taken him up on his offer of breakfast and spending the weekend together.

Oliver could admit his pride was a little stung, and he was disappointed because their chemistry had been off the charts. But he'd be damned if he let her get to him any more than she already had. He started to toss the card in the trash, but an uncharacteristic sentimentality stopped him. He picked up his wallet and slipped it in the back.

"Let me grab a shower and we can go eat breakfast," Oliver told Hal, ignoring his friend's curious look. "And then I can call a few friends, we can take the yacht out. I don't spend enough time on it anyway."

Hal nodded, taking a seat on the couch. "Sounds good to me. I'll call Vic and tell him the camera situation is nothing to worry about."

A shower and a change of clothes helped him shake off the pensive mood, and he was feeling more like himself when he stepped into the elevator with Hal. _Maybe it's better this way,_ he thought. If she'd tried leaving after he was awake, he'd have tried talking her out of it. And one night or two spent together wouldn't change anything. She was still leaving, and if he made promises about visiting, it could very well lead to bitterness if he was unable to keep them.

He thought of the words on her card – stupendous and amazing. He wouldn't forget her either.

**A/N: Hope you enjoyed the update! Next chapter picks up in Metropolis after a six month time jump. Thanks for reading :-)**


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

"Chloe, we're going to be late."

Chloe walked into the living room of the apartment she shared with her best friend Clark Kent. She was juggling her laptop bag and purse but dropped them on the sofa in order to slip her heels on. She turned her back to him. "Can you finish zipping me up?"

Clark accomplished the task quickly and picked up her bags as he glanced at his watch. "We may have to…"

"Clark, I am not super speeding to this press conference," Chloe interrupted him. "Now that you're blurring about town on a regular basis, it's dangerous to do anything that might cause someone to connect the dots between you and Metropolis' newest hero. We take the subway or cab it like every other young professional."

Clark made a face as he opened the door and pushed up his glasses. "I hate the subway."

"Noted," she replied in amusement. "But surely Jor-El talked to you about this during your training."

Clark had left Smallville after high school in order to train at the Fortress with the AI version of his late father. The official story had been that Clark had a scholarship to study at a university abroad. Chloe had been able to alter records at the university to enroll Clark and had even planted photos of Clark attending various events around campus. Meanwhile, Jor-El allowed him enough time to attend the bare minimum of classes and complete assignments while also completing his training.

Two years later and with the majority of his most intensive training completed, Clark returned to Metropolis and entered Metropolis University as a transfer student. He'd also joined the staff of the campus newspaper, and the following year he had finally qualified for an intern position at _The Daily Planet_ alongside Chloe. Tired of dorm life, Chloe had suggested they find an apartment to rent together during their senior year. With a little assistance from the Kents and both Chloe's dad and uncle, they'd been able to afford a reasonably nice, two bedroom walkup in a more residential neighborhood not far from campus.

Chloe finished buttoning up her coat and wound her scarf around her neck before reaching for her bags as they stepped outside. It was February, and the weather was freezing, though that never bothered Clark. He put on the winter garb like everyone else, but Chloe envied his natural ability to stay warm on cold, windy days.

Clark handed over her purse but held onto her laptop bag as they hurried the two blocks to the subway station and bounded down the stairs, joining all the other morning rush hour commuters scanning their metro cards and jostling their way to the train platforms. As was his habit, Clark shielded Chloe from the worst of the pushing and led her to a spot near the train doors. Having Clark around again was nice for many reasons, but she had to admit it was especially nice not to worry about excessive shoving and seeing over and around everyone who was taller than her.

Just before the doors closed, a figure bounded onto the train. "I didn't think I was going to catch you guys!" The tall, pretty brunette crowded closer to them as the doors closed, cheeks pink from the cold, and her blue eyes sparkled as she looked at Clark.

Chloe felt Clark tense up beside her, and then he slipped his arm around her shoulders. "Hi Claire. How was your weekend?"

Claire smiled brightly at Clark, but it dimmed a little as she noted Chloe's presence beside him. "It was great. My brother was in town, so I had a lot of family time. How was yours?"

"Good," Chloe answered. Resisting the urge to roll her eyes, she leaned into Clark and smiled up at him. "We finally got permission to do some remodeling, so we painted our living room and Clark's dad helped him refinish and stain the kitchen counters. It's a nice place, close to the subway and the downtown area, so we'd like to stay there after graduation."

Claire's smile now looked downright forced, though she made an obvious effort to hide her true feelings. "Oh, that's so… great. You know, that you connected again after Clark being gone those couple of years. Lois said you're even thinking about getting married."

Chloe nearly choked at that. She was going to kill Lois, who was having far too much fun with their current awkward predicament.

"Well, when you know, you know," Clark said, shifting his feet in what Chloe knew was a nervous habit.

The train rolled to a stop and Claire turned to get off. When they didn't move, she glanced over her shoulder at them. "Aren't you coming?"

"Press conference," Chloe answered. "We'll be in later."

Claire nodded and waved before hurrying off.

Chloe waited until the doors closed before turning to Clark, crossing her arms, and raising a brow. "When you know, you know? Really, Clark?"

"Well what was I supposed to say?" he asked sheepishly. "And I can't help it if your cousin expands the story whenever she feels like it."

"Oh no – this is _not_ Lois' fault. She might have a bent sense of humor, but _you're_ the one who lied to begin with, and I was silly enough to go along with it because I thought it was temporary. But between you and Lois, we're going to end up married with a dog and 2.2 kids," she retorted, exasperated.

Claire Connelly was a fellow Met U student and intern at _The Daily Planet_. And from the moment she'd laid eyes on Clark, she'd been suffering from a crush so obvious that not even Clark at his most oblivious could ignore it. When she finally worked up the nerve to ask him out, he'd put her off by telling her that he was involved with Chloe. Since they'd recently moved in together and Chloe's relationship with Jimmy was dead in the water, Clark's story tracked.

Unfortunately, the story also spread, and now everyone except his parents and Chloe's family believed it. _Irony is a hell of a thing_, Chloe thought as the train slowed again. Only a few years ago, she'd have given anything to be in a real relationship with Clark. But time and distance had cooled her schoolgirl feelings, not to mention a certain night in Star City. One thing she'd learned from her night with Oliver was that she wanted a relationship that was passionate and made her feel things she'd never felt before. That wasn't the kind of relationship she'd had with Jimmy, and as much as she loved Clark, she knew now she'd never feel that way about him either.

As they stepped off the train and took the escalator, Chloe continued, "Look, Clark, I know you don't want to hurt Claire's feelings. But you've put both of us in a really weird situation. And maybe I don't have time to date now with finals and graduation looming, but I hope to change that this summer or soon after that. Dating is going to be especially awkward if I have to ask my date to sneak around because I have a fake boyfriend."

"I never meant for it to go this far," Clark admitted. "It just kind of snowballed, and I still think Lois deserves some of the blame for that."

"Maybe so, but we need to start figuring out how we're going to deal with it. Because come graduation, you're getting dumped," Chloe said cheerfully, patting his arm as they exited the subway station. She looked at her watch before casting a longing look at her favorite coffee shop near the business district. "Do you think we have time?"

Clark didn't have to ask what she wanted. "There's a line, so I doubt it. But…" he drew her around the side of a building and disappeared, returning less than a minute later with a steaming cup which he held out to her.

Chloe accepted the cup and took a sip, smiling in delight. "Oh wow – where did you get this?"

"Rome. Still mad?" Clark guided her onto the sidewalk.

"You know what?" Chloe linked her arm with his and grinned at him. "Maybe I'll marry you after all."

The press conference was being held at Mercer International Holdings. Rumor had it that the CEO, Tess Mercer, planned to conduct the press conference in tandem with a representative from Queen Industries, likely Ron Harding, the V.P. who handled most of the business for the Metropolis branch. Ever since she'd met Oliver, Chloe couldn't deny she got a queer, nervous feeling whenever she attended a press conference involving Oliver's company. Thankfully, he rarely traveled to Metropolis.

Chloe and Clark joined other members of the press in the atrium that was often used for such meetings. Staff were busy stacking press packets that would be handed out at the end of the meeting, and they'd barely found a spot to squeeze into towards the back when Tess Mercer walked into the atrium followed by Oliver Queen.

Chloe jolted in surprise and would have dropped her coffee if Clark hadn't steadied her and grabbed the cup.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern evident in his features. "You look pale all of a sudden."

"I'm fine," she said hastily, swallowing hard as her heart continued to slam against her chest.

Clark leaned closer to her. "You're not fine – I can hear your heartbeat, Chloe. What's wrong?"

"I feel sick," she finally said, not sure how else to explain her racing heart and suddenly clammy palms.

He started to lead her away from the crowd, but Chloe balked. If they broke away from the other reporters, there was a greater chance Oliver might see her. "No. Just…let's just finish this and then leave, okay? I'm probably just shaky because I didn't eat breakfast."

Clark didn't look like he was buying her excuse, but after a moment he turned his attention back to the front of the room. Tess Mercer was talking to Oliver, their heads bent together. Tall and elegant with her auburn hair pulled back into a French twist, Tess was one of the most influential businesswomen in the state and surrounding region. She was also an honest one, and she'd used her wealth and position to do a lot of good in the state of Kansas. Chloe had interviewed her once for the campus paper, and she respected the older woman.

Oliver looked exactly as she remembered him – tall and achingly handsome. Memories of her night with him in Star City came flooding back, and not just the ones of them in bed. He'd amused her and made her laugh, let loose and feel free for once. And he'd enjoyed his time with her just as much. She was somehow sure of that.

Tess Mercer spoke first. "Thank you for joining us. I'm sure everyone here knows the CEO of Queen Industries, Oliver Queen."

Oliver stepped forward, joining her at the podium with a nod to the reporters.

Tess continued. "We're keeping this brief today, but we do have a couple of important announcements. First, Mr. Queen and I are pleased to announce a merger between two of our media companies, Metro Broadcasting and Star Communications. As you know, Metro Broadcasting encompasses Metro One Live here in Metropolis as well as a few smaller news outlets in Kansas. The merger with Star Communications gives us a base from which to expand into print media."

Chloe knew that Star Communications owned a handful of newspapers around the country, including _The Star City Gazette_. As far as she knew, Oliver had never involved himself much in that aspect of his business, preferring to spend his time on technology innovations that were a cornerstone of his company.

"Many of you may also have heard the rumors regarding the financial difficulties of Werner-Schuman Media Group," Tess said, referring to the company that owned _The Daily Planet_. "As of last month, I'm happy to announce that the newly formed Metro Star Media has added _The Daily Planet_ to our news family."

A ripple of surprised murmurs swept through the crowd of gathered reporters, and Chloe felt a nervous frisson of energy. She'd known about the financial problems at the paper, but she'd assumed they were the same problems facing most print media these days. There had been hiring freezes on and off over the last few years, but the most recent freeze had been lifted a few weeks earlier. It was what had allowed Lois to finally get her foot in the door, and it was what gave Chloe hope that there would be a real job waiting for her after graduation. Her editor-in-chief, Perry White, had hinted broadly just last week that he was holding a position for her. Now she understood why.

Her attention was jerked back to the press conference when she heard Oliver's voice. "Yes, I will be staying in Metropolis, at least for the next few months. I have business at the Metropolis branch of Queen Industries that requires my attention, and I want to be at least passably familiar with _The Daily Planet_ and how it's structured. But to answer your other question, I have no plans to involve myself in the day-to-day running of the Planet. Tess will be more hands on with the business side of things, but we both agree that Perry White is an outstanding editor who is more than capable of running the show."

She was startled to hear Clark's voice, and she hunched slightly, glad that the taller men in front of her hid her from view.

"Clark Kent with _The Daily Planet_," Clark began, nodding as both Tess and Oliver smiled in acknowledgement. "So there are no current plans to restructure departments or let reporters go?"

"It's possible there will be some restructuring, but the plan is to hire more staff, not let people go," Tess answered him. "The truth is that the Planet is one of the most respected newspapers in the country, but it's been running on a shoestring budget for years, and that affects quality. By investing in its reputation, we hope to return it to its glory days."

Chloe breathed a sigh of relief when they moved on to the next question, and soon Tess called an end to the press conference. Men and women circulated, passing out the thick press packets, and minutes later Clark was leading Chloe towards the entrance.

Outside, he turned to her. "How are you feeling now?"

She took a deep breath, not caring that the frigid air burned her lungs. She was calm now, but a tense feeling of dread had settled into her stomach like a lead ball. "I'm okay, Clark," she replied, proud that she sounded almost normal when she was feeling anything but.

"Let's stop and eat on the way back," he suggested, not looking entirely convinced. "You shouldn't be skipping meals anyway."

Chloe shrugged but didn't argue. If giving in to Clark's coddling meant that he stopped asking questions, it was worth it. For the first time ever, she wasn't in a big hurry to return to the Planet anyway.

* * *

Oliver was talking to Tess when he caught a glimpse of a small, blonde woman being ushered out of the atrium. By the time he focused on her fully, she was gone. He brushed it aside, irritated that six months after his night with Lois, he still found himself paying closer attention whenever a petite blonde crossed his path. He followed Tess up to her office and sat in a chair across from her desk.

"We'll need to have a staff meeting at _The Daily Planet_ to address concerns related to the buyout," Tess said. "What does your schedule look like next week?"

"It looks like hell," he replied honestly. "Ron's fuckups have left the Metropolis branch with a lot of problems." Oliver was still angry that his father's old friend and trusted colleague had been caught skimming funds. He'd also conducted business with some questionable people, exposing the company to corporate spies and the attention of the Feds. Oliver was now working with the FBI to make sure any and all evidence of Ron Harding's illegal activities was disclosed.

"If I can help, let me know. And stop blaming yourself. Ron had everyone fooled, and he's been with QI so long that he knew exactly how to play this so that no one would notice. The fact that you _did_ notice within a few months is a point in your favor – not a mark against you."

"I might not have caught it at all if I hadn't been paying closer attention to the money trails during the last couple of years. And Victor was the first one to notice something fishy."

"Well, it's done and no one's blaming you," she observed. "My offer of help stands if you need it."

Oliver shot her his most charming grin. "What did I ever do to deserve you, Mercy?"

She snorted, unimpressed. "Absolutely nothing and we both know it. Now, next week? Perry and I both have an opening on Tuesday at 2:00 if that works for you."

He stood and sent a message to his assistant to add it to his calendar. "Tuesday's fine."

After leaving Tess' office, Oliver decided to walk back to Queen Industries. He wasn't often in Metropolis, but there was something about the city that energized him. He buttoned his coat and shoved his hands in his pockets, noting buildings and landmarks as he walked. He hadn't yet patrolled in the city since Tess thought it was the height of stupidity for Green Arrow to make an appearance right after Oliver moved to a new place. Restlessness aside, she had a point and he knew it.

Crime was also at a new low due to the presence of a new vigilante commonly referred to as the Blur. Other than the fact he was faster than the eye could see, no one really knew much about him. Bart was eager to stretch his legs and try to catch the speedy newcomer, but Oliver and Tess had agreed to watch and wait for the time being. They had a strong team now with Bart, AC, Victor, Hal and Dinah, and Dr. Emil Hamilton acted as the team doctor and scientist while also heading up a new lab that Oliver and Tess had opened with an eye towards researching meta abilities that seemed to be springing up everywhere.

Metahumans were increasingly on the radar in Metropolis, with a handful of vigilantes apparently calling the city home. Aside from the Blur, who had suddenly arrived on the scene the previous year, there was also a woman the media had taken to calling the Angel of Vengeance and a mysterious blonde woman that witnesses swore had swooped from the sky just before Christmas and caught a derailed train in midair before disappearing back into the sky.

All were of interest to the team, but without proper vetting, Oliver had no intention of risking anyone's identity. Time would tell if any of them measured up to the standard of what Tess was now referring to as The Justice League.

Oliver stopped to get his bearings at the next subway station. He crossed the street and paused when he noticed a coffee shop in front of him. The Coffee Mill, the same chain from the card Lois had written her note on. He pulled it out of his wallet to be sure.

_It's a coincidence_, he told himself, putting the card back in his wallet. It was a popular chain in two states, Kansas being one of them. His earlier bad mood returned with a vengeance, and he headed back to his office to deal with another grueling day.

* * *

Chloe sat at her desk, watching the clock and drumming her fingers nervously. It was Tuesday, the day of the mandatory staff meeting to meet the Planet's new head honchos, and she had no way of getting out of it. She would have feigned illness, but Clark had become so in tune with her physical health since they were children that he'd know she wasn't sick, which would just open the door to questions she didn't want him asking.

The one time she lied to a guy and had a fling, and months later he turned out to be her new boss? What were the odds? It was like the epitome of bad luck situations. She supposed it was possible that she might be able to avoid him today, but he was planning to be in Metropolis for at least the next several months. And with the Planet buyout, not to mention her and Clark all over the city covering stories, the odds of avoiding him forever were slim.

So then the question was when she inevitably ran into him and he discovered her lie, how would he react? Would he be angry that she lied? Or would he even care? And if he brushed it off in a blasé fashion, how would that make her feel?

Chloe put her head down and squeezed her eyes shut. Never, ever again would she listen to either of her cousins when it came to her personal life. Lois took dating shenanigans to new extremes all the time, and nothing ever came back to bite her in the ass the way Chloe's seemingly harmless subterfuge was now turning on her.

She grabbed her phone and texted Lucy.

_Just so you know, I hate you right now._

Lucy's response was prompt.

_For what?_

_Oliver Queen is the new co-owner of the Planet, and there's a mandatory staff meeting this afternoon. This is all your fault._

Her phone rang immediately.

"You're joking," Lucy said.

"Do I sound like I'm joking?" Chloe heard the shrill edge to her tone and made an effort to calm down.

"So what, he's like your boss now?"

"No – not exactly," Chloe replied. "I don't think he's going to be involved to that extent, but he will be here at 2:00, and he's in Metropolis indefinitely. Suggestions?"

"Hide?" Lucy sounded amused.

"Very helpful," she responded sarcastically.

"Oh, shit – Chloe, what about Clark? Everyone thinks you guys started dating last summer. Unless Clark finally manned up?"

"What do you think?" Chloe put her head back down. As if being a liar wasn't bad enough, now she was a cheater? Clark and Lucy – she could kill them both. "I've gotta go."

"Call me later," Lucy said before ending the call.

Chloe's stomach was still in knots a couple of hours later, and she couldn't get her mind off of the night she'd spent with Oliver. She'd done things that night she'd only ever read about, allowing her curious, adventurous side out to play. Now she was going to have to face him in her office, surrounded by her colleagues, her cousin, her best friend turned fake boyfriend, and her ex, and she was going to have to pretend she didn't even know him while knowing that when he looked at her, he could very well be remembering her naked. Her life sucked.

* * *

Oliver arrived at the Planet around 12:00 and had an informal meeting with Perry and Tess over lunch in the conference room. They discussed funds for revamping certain departments before moving on to staffing concerns. They were now going through the new hires and evaluating interns that Perry wanted to make offers to.

"Chloe Sullivan," Perry said. "No question that we need her."

Oliver glanced over Chloe's employee file. She was the current editor-in-chief of the Metropolis University campus newspaper and had been interning at the Planet since high school. "Definitely impressive. Why does her name sound familiar?"

"We had an intern swap a couple of years ago with the Gazette," Perry replied. "You might have seen her byline. She was there last year too."

"Ms. Sullivan interviewed me a few months ago," Tess remarked. "She's a solid choice – very professional. I asked Perry to make her an early offer so we can head off the ones she'll get when she graduates."

Oliver nodded and picked up the next file. "Clark Kent." An image of a tall, dark haired young man in a suit and glasses came to mind. "He was at the press conference."

"He's less experienced, but he has a lot of potential, and he and Chloe are writing partners," Perry explained. "And according to the office rumor mill, they're living together. If we want to keep Chloe, we should keep them together. In my opinion, they make a damn good team anyway."

In the end, they culled the interns down to Chloe, Clark, Claire Connelly, Andrea Rojas, and Cat Grant. Tess picked up another file. "I'm curious about this new hire – Lois Lane?"

Oliver felt the hairs rise along the back of his neck at the name.

Perry laughed. "Let me tell you something about Lois. She might have gotten her ears wet in the tabloids, writing about alien encounters and Elvis sightings, but she's a force to be reckoned with and she can sniff out a story with the best of them. Must be something in the genes." At Tess' questioning look, he said, "She's Sullivan's cousin."

"Did Lois ever intern in Star City?" Oliver kept his tone casual, but something about the way Tess looked at him told him he hadn't quite succeeded.

"Not that I'm aware of, but she could have followed a story there. She was all fired up about metahumans for a while, and doesn't Star City have one of those?" Perry's brows drew together. "The Arrow or something?"

"I think there's a local vigilante called Green Arrow," Oliver replied. "I don't know the details."

They concluded their meeting a few minutes later, and Oliver glanced at his watch. It was 1:30 now, and the full staff meeting was at 2:00. He had enough time to confirm his theory. He walked down to the bullpen, stopping a few times to chat with employees. After finding out that the interns and new hires were mostly housed in the basement, he made his way to the elevator.

A copy editor pointed out Lois' desk in the corner. It was empty, but a fresh cup of coffee from The Coffee Mill told him she would soon return. A photo of two women with an older man caught his eye, and he recognized one of the brunettes as Lucy. He was right – he could feel it.

"Can I help you?"

Oliver turned to see a tall woman with long, dark hair staring at him.

"Hey, you're Oliver Queen." The brunette held out a hand. "Lois Lane – nice to meet you."

Oliver paused. "Lois Lane?" He looked back at the photo – it was definitely Lucy in the photo, and he now recognized the dark haired woman in the photo as the same one who had just introduced herself as Lois. What the hell was going on?

"The one and only, newly hired and ready to get to work – as soon as HR gets their act together. Anyway, I hear we have a staff meeting, but that's upstairs, right?"

He had always trusted his instincts, and despite Lois turning out not to be _his_ Lois, he knew he was on the right track. "Do you have a sister named Lucy?"

"Oh, God – what's she done now?"

"Nothing. I met Lucy in Star City last summer," Oliver answered slowly, deciding to take a guess. "With your other sister?"

Lois' brows drew together in confusion. "We don't have – oh. You mean our cousin, Chloe. Little blonde, big attitude? She interned in Star City last summer, and I think Lucy visited her there for a few days."

"Chloe – right." Chloe Sullivan, Perry's star intern. Oliver was starting to feel like a fool because it was clear that Chloe had lied right from the start, and a slow anger burned in his gut. "Well, Lois, welcome to the Planet family. Can you point me towards Chloe's desk?"

Lois was beginning to look curious, but she pointed across the room before turning away to answer her phone.

Oliver found Chloe's desk without too much trouble, and the photos there confirmed what he already knew. Big green eyes stared back at him from a younger Chloe's face as she stood in cap and gown beside a tall, dark haired man whose arm was wrapped around her. Another photo was of Chloe with an older man, presumably her father. He recognized Lucy and Lois with her in another at what appeared to be a picnic at a lake.

"If you're looking for Chloe, she and Clark should be back in time for the meeting. I think they took a late lunch." A curly haired young man with a camera around his neck spoke from a neighboring desk.

Clark Kent. Perry's words came back to him. _"He and Chloe are writing partners… and according to the office rumor mill, they're living together."_

Oliver reached for his wallet and pulled out The Coffee Mill card. _'Last night was stupendous, amazing, and the absolute best. I won't forget.'_ What a load of bullshit. He placed the card, note side up, on Chloe's desk and walked away.

**A/N: Okay, I'm behind but you can blame my cat – she's been in heat for the last 10 days and I've been sleep deprived and losing my sanity ever since. Vets here don't want to spay a cat before she's a year old for some reason – to be fair, Persians are late bloomers (not mature until around 10 months) so that could be it. This chapter has really not been edited – I read it again to look for big errors, but I'm tired, so… let me know if you see something I didn't. I wanted to update regardless. Also, I know there's no direct Chlollie here, but I needed to set up the story with the time jump, and that took a whole chapter no matter how I decided to spin it. Next chapter picks up with the staff meeting, and the hijinks begin! Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy the update!**


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Chloe followed Clark across the room to the desk they shared in what was commonly referred to as the intern's corner. Even though Clark had taken her to her favorite curry place for lunch, she'd been dreading the staff meeting so much that she hadn't been able to eat. Now he was watching her, clued in that something was off but not knowing exactly what it was. For once she wished for the boy who got so wrapped up in his own drama that he missed what was under his nose; but that Clark was long gone, his training having made him much more sensitive to the needs of those around him.

The room was bustling with activity as Planet staffers headed for the elevators to attend the meeting scheduled to begin in the next ten minutes. Lois was waiting for them at their desk, and Chloe's steps slowed. She didn't really like the expression she saw on her older cousin's face. It was her 'you're hiding something and I'm not sure exactly what's going on but I will find out very soon' expression, and it never bode well in situations where Chloe was, in fact, hiding something.

Chloe walked around Lois to check for messages in her inbox and instead saw something that made her drop her coffee. Thankfully the hot liquid was in her shatter proof travel mug, and the container bounced harmlessly off the edge of her desk before landing on the floor at Clark's feet. Clark leaned down to pick up the mug as Chloe reached for the coffee shop card with the note she'd written six months before. _So much for hiding_, she thought in dismay.

"So Oliver Queen was looking for you about ten minutes ago," Lois commented casually as she leaned against the desk. "Apparently you and Lucy met him last summer?"

Clark looked at Chloe in surprise. "You never mentioned that."

Chloe slipped the card into her jacket pocket. Trying for nonchalance, she shrugged. "Because it wasn't a big deal."

"Hmm," Lois murmured. "It was weird. He had the idea that you and Lucy are sisters and he remembered her name but couldn't seem to remember yours."

Chloe sighed. It was evident that Lois knew there was a story to be told there, so she met her cousin's narrowed gaze and shot her an 'I'll explain later' look with a hint of pleading. "Well, it's Oliver Queen – there's no telling how many women he meets. It's not like he can keep track of every casual meeting."

"No doubt." Lois straightened up and linked her arm with Chloe's. "We should get to that meeting."

Recognizing Lois' quick topic change for the reprieve that it was, Chloe allowed Lois to lead her away while Clark followed behind. In the elevator he handed her the forgotten travel mug with a questioning glance which she chose to ignore. She'd deal with Lois first and worry about Clark later.

Upstairs was a large conference room often used for executive meetings. It usually contained several long tables set end to end, but they had been removed to accommodate the "standing room only" crowd now squeezing in. While Chloe would have been more than content to remain in the back, Lois powered through until she reached the front of the room, tugging Chloe along with her. And there he was, mere feet away standing next to Tess and Perry, looking better than any mere mortal had any right to.

Oliver was smiling at something Perry was saying, and she was struck once again by how utterly beautiful he was – the chiseled jaw, high cheekbones and deep set brown eyes that had held such warmth when he looked at her. He matched Clark in height, making most other men seem downright small in comparison. The perfectly tailored suit he wore showed his fit, lean frame to advantage while disguising his surprisingly muscular build. He sported a golden tan common to people born and raised in California, and his blonde hair had the same casually messy appearance that she remembered.

Then he looked up and saw her. The air seemed to still, the bustle and noise becoming a mere background buzz as the room narrowed to the two of them. The warm brown eyes of her memory weren't so warm at the moment; instead they held a chilling anger as his gaze swept her from head to toe. She swallowed hard, reminding herself to breathe. In that moment he was intimidating, and she recognized that it was a deliberate move on his part.

Chloe stubbornly held his gaze, unwilling to allow his tactic to succeed. When Perry began speaking he looked away, his expression dismissive. She barely heard a word of Perry's speech after that as he introduced Tess and Oliver and reassured everyone that the buyout was a good thing. And then it was over.

Chloe held back as a few staff members, including Lois, stepped forward to speak to Perry, Tess and Oliver. But her hopes of slipping out without further interacting with Oliver were dashed when Perry beckoned her forward. She took a deep breath and grabbed Clark's hand as she joined them at the front.

"Sullivan and Kent," Perry said by way of introduction. "Chloe, I know you've met Tess Mercer."

Chloe nodded to the redhead. "Nice to see you again, Ms. Mercer."

"And this, of course, is Oliver Queen," Perry continued as Oliver turned his attention to Chloe and Clark.

Oliver shook Clark's hand first, jaw tightly clenched. When he held his hand out to her, she knew it was a challenge. Game face firmly in place, she accepted it. The resulting sparks shot up her arm and spread like a small fire throughout her body. She didn't think she was imagining that he felt it too, and he pulled back quickly with a small, formal nod.

"I want to see you two in my office first thing," Perry was saying, and with a jolt Chloe realized he was talking to her and Clark.

"Yes sir," Clark replied, pushing his glasses up. "And I'm looking forward to the staff barbecue you mentioned."

Staff barbecue? Clearly she'd missed something from Perry's earlier speech.

"You look forward to anything involving food, Smallville," Lois said with a snort of amusement.

Clark raised a brow at her. "That doesn't stop you from arriving uninvited on nights when I'm cooking."

"You've been hogging my cousin ever since you two lovebirds moved in together, so I have an open invitation. Sullivan-Lane family rule," Lois informed him with a smirk.

Chloe closed her eyes. There it was; her fake relationship out in the open. But when she glanced at Oliver, he didn't seem surprised. She supposed she could blame the Planet gossip mill for that.

Lois seemed to pick up on the sudden tension in her cousin because she changed the subject. "Well, we should get back to work. But I look forward to talking to both of you at the barbecue," she said, addressing the last to Tess and Oliver.

"Nice to meet you, Ms. Lane and Mr. Kent was it?" He turned to Chloe. "I'm sorry, what was your name again?"

She supposed she deserved that. "Chloe Sullivan."

"Chloe – right. Well, I'll see you at the barbecue this weekend." His eyes belied his pleasant tone.

The rest of the afternoon passed in a blur for Chloe. While Lois was busy getting her paperwork straightened out with the HR department, Chloe and Clark chased leads on a story they were working on involving several pieces of high end jewelry stolen during a series of home invasions. They'd been hitting dead ends on the story for weeks, and they were both frustrated with the lack of results.

They arrived back at the office at 5:00. Just as Chloe put her bag down on her desk, Perry's voice boomed out from across the room.

"Sullivan!" When she looked up, he continued. "I need you and Kent over at Queen Industries ASAP."

Her heart sank as Clark answered. "What's going on, Chief?"

"You're getting a jump on a major news story that will hit tomorrow," he told them, clapping his hands and rubbing them together. "Mr. Queen will give you the details since he's agreed to a Planet exclusive. I think I'm going to like working with Queen and Mercer. They do their thing, and they let me do mine – _and_ we get the first foot in the door on stories affecting their companies."

Chloe sighed and picked up her bag. She'd rather face down hardened criminals in a back alley of Suicide Slums than see Oliver again that day, but she couldn't exactly pass the story off to Clark without raising a major red flag. As it was he'd asked questions about Oliver all afternoon, trying to get to the bottom of their previous meeting.

They picked up guest passes at the security desk upon arriving at Queen Industries and were promptly ushered up to the executive floor. Chloe noted that security was tight; no one got past the front desk in the lobby without a security pass, and the passes were color coded by floor and department. In addition, anyone going to the executive floor was personally escorted by a member of the security team.

Oliver's executive assistant, a very professional brunette who appeared to be in her late thirties, was waiting when they stepped off the elevator. She led them past two outer offices before they entered the CEO's executive suite. She knocked and poked her head in. "Sir, the reporters are here."

"Send them in."

Clark stepped aside to allow Chloe to enter first. Oliver was seated behind a massive mahogany desk but stood to greet them as they entered his office. "We'll have to make this quick, but I promised Perry the Planet would get the jump on the story that's breaking tomorrow."

Chloe's natural curiosity peaked, and she forgot her apprehension. "What's happening tomorrow?"

Oliver waved them to the chairs facing his desk. Once they were seated, he settled back in his chair. "The FBI has been investigating one of our Vice Presidents. I'm sure you know Ron Harding?"

Holy crap – this was big. Chloe jerked out her recorder and a pad to take notes as Oliver continued. "Obviously I can't give you all the details yet. What I can tell you is that Harding has been skimming money from various company accounts for at least six months. That would likely have been handled internally, but he was also in charge of some high profile government contracts. Without going into details, we have evidence that he has also been selling classified technology. The FBI plan to take him into custody tomorrow."

Clark and Chloe began asking questions. Oliver was able to answer some of them but declined to answer others, citing the ongoing investigation. He also gave them the FBI point person to follow up with. A few minutes later his assistant called to remind him of a business dinner.

Oliver stood and followed them to the door. "I'll keep you apprised of the details, but my main priority is going to be damage control from here on out. I'll be as forthcoming as I can, and in return I'd appreciate a fair and unbiased report of what's bound to be a media circus over the next couple of weeks."

Chloe didn't miss the way he looked at her, as if wondering if she were capable of fair and unbiased reporting. Irritation flared as she answered him, her tone saccharine sweet. "I can assure you we're professionals, Mr. Queen. I fully intend to report the truth and leave any spin to the tabloids and your PR team."

He raised a brow at her tone. "Guess I can't ask for more than that, can I?"

Clark glanced between them, his brow furrowed in confusion. "We certainly plan to be fair in our reporting, Mr. Queen. We don't have any reason to be gunning for your company."

"You'll have to forgive me, Mr. Kent. I haven't always had the best luck with reporters in the past. Many are duplicitous by nature, and more than a few have tried to get personal in order to get the story."

His thinly veiled barb stung, and Chloe felt her cheeks flushing with anger. Sure, she gave him a bogus name and snuck out of his penthouse apartment at the crack of dawn, but it wasn't like she cheated on him or made promises she failed to keep. And not once had she asked questions that would make him think she was after a story. Where the hell did he get off? Lucy was right – she didn't owe him anything.

Hefting her bag, she smiled tightly. "Mr. Queen – always a pleasure." Turning on her heel, she marched back to the elevators, barely aware of Clark hot on her heels.

"Chloe…"

She shook her head. "Not now, Clark." Once they were out of the building, she took a deep breath of the crisp winter air and forced herself to calm down. Like it or not, Oliver was sticking around Metropolis, and his involvement with the Planet meant she'd definitely be seeing more of him. She couldn't allow him to get under her skin at every meeting.

Clark led her over to a coffee cart positioned outside the building and bought her a fortifying cup of cinnamon and vanilla spiced coffee. Chloe breathed in the comforting scent before taking a long sip. "That is just what I needed."

"Chloe, what's going on with you and Oliver Queen?"

She sighed. "I met him last summer in Star City."

"With Lucy?"

She nodded, taking another sip. "We were at a club, and he was hosting a party in the VIP room." She figured sticking close to the truth was the best idea.

Clark's expression cleared. "Let me guess – he was out showing off his entitled playboy side and your mouth got the better of you."

Chloe raised a brow. "My mouth got the better of me?"

Clark put an arm around her. "Don't pretend like you don't know you have that little problem sometimes. And I'm sure we can blame Lucy for a big part of whatever happened. Anyway, don't worry about it. I'm sure he'll see what a great reporter you are and what an asset you are to the Planet before long and he'll forget all about whatever you said that night."

She turned to face him with a smile. "Have I mentioned I kind of like the new you? You're full of encouragement and praise, and you support my caffeine addiction with a minimum of fuss."

"Well, my training showed me that some things are outside my control. Your caffeine problem definitely falls into that category," he told her with a grin.

She stretched up to kiss his cheek. "Okay, I have to meet Lois for dinner. Can you start the article without me if I promise to bring you dinner later?"

"Italian?" he asked hopefully.

"Luigi's Café," she confirmed. With a small wave, she walked to the street to hail a cab as Clark headed for the subway. Glancing back at the QI building, she was startled to see Oliver standing just a few yards away. She wondered how long he'd been there. Their eyes met, and she somehow knew he'd been there long enough to watch her interacting with Clark.

She supposed she could explain Clark's predicament. But in the end, it wasn't really any of Oliver's business. She'd been clear about what that night was, and she could only assume it was wounded pride at the root of his hostility now. Oliver Queen was a ladies' man, after all. He'd been back out on the town the night after they'd slept together.

She turned away as a cab pulled up and honked, getting in without another backward glance.

* * *

Lois was waiting when Chloe arrived at the restaurant; Chloe figured the anticipation had been killing her.

As if to prove Chloe's theory correct, Lois barely gave her cousin time to sit before she said, "Start talking."

"Hello, Lois. The weather's a little warmer today, isn't it?" Chloe opened her menu. "I'm thinking meat lasagna for Clark with a side of their meatballs and the chicken parmesan for me. What are you having?"

Lois crossed her arms and raised a brow. "I'll tell you what I'm _not_ having – excuses. I want to know what happened between you and Oliver Qu…"

"Lois." Chloe cast her cousin a warning look as the waitress approached their table.

Heaving a long suffering sigh, Lois waited until the woman took their order and delivered the drinks and breadsticks before beginning again. "Seriously cuz, no excuses. When did you meet him?"

"Last summer in Star City, which you already know. Lucy and I were out at a club, and he was with a group of A-list friends in the VIP room," she replied quietly.

Lois' eyes narrowed. "Details Chlo – I want to know what you were wearing, what he was wearing, all of it."

And so Chloe told her the whole story, beginning with Oliver's invitation to the VIP area and ending with her sneaking out of his penthouse the following morning. By the time she finished, their food had arrived but neither woman had touched their entrees yet.

Lois, for once, was dumbfounded. "You – Chloe Sullivan, my very serious little cousin - gave a guy a fake name and had a one night stand? You?"

"How about we stick with fling?" Chloe replied, wincing at the term one night stand. Girl power aside, she'd never really considered herself the type.

"Yeah, you don't get to pull the delicate flower card after hitting the sheets with a guy like Oliver," Lois retorted. "So? How was he? Actually, never mind that because obviously _he_ was awesome. Tell me how _I_ was."

"You are so not funny." Chloe took a bite of her food before laughing. "God, this is such a mess. He probably thinks I was cheating on my boyfriend when I was with him. You should have heard his crack about 'duplicitous reporters' during our interview earlier."

Lois' face fell. "Oh – and then I referred to you two as lovebirds after the meeting. Crap."

"Speaking of which, Lo – can you please stop embellishing our fake relationship? I know you enjoy having fun at Clark's expense, but this whole thing has gotten out of control. Claire seems to think he'll be popping the question at any moment, and it's just making it more difficult for us to get out of the hole Clark dug."

"I'll lay off," Lois promised. She took a bite of her forgotten spaghetti and meatballs and sipped her wine. "So… was it strictly physical or was there a deeper connection?"

Chloe sighed and shrugged. "For me? There was definitely a connection, but for him I think it was strictly physical."

"He didn't ask about seeing you again?"

"He did, but…" Chloe paused, thinking back to that night. "I figured it was what he thought was expected, you know?"

"You told him it was one night – if he brought up seeing you again _after_ that then I think you may have misjudged him. He's experienced, and he doesn't strike me as the type to make false promises to get a girl into bed. He's Oliver Queen, Chloe – he's rich, drop dead gorgeous, and charming. There's no shortage of women eager to tap that regardless of whether it's for one night or more."

"Okay, fine, but he wasn't exactly brooding over it the next day," Chloe pointed out. "He was out on his yacht with Ava Brooks just hours after I left."

Lois waved that away with a dismissive sweep of her hand. "Men are fragile creatures – I'd be willing to bet my future Pulitzer that he didn't like waking up alone without an explanation for why you took off like that. It was a blow to his ego, and he found someone to stroke it back to health."

Chloe wrinkled her nose at that image. "Well, it's too late now. And besides, I left a note." She pulled it from her pocket and put it on the table in front of Lois.

Her cousin read it silently and then looked at Chloe. "If you left this for him six months ago, why was it in your pocket?"

"Because he left it on my desk last week," she explained wearily.

"Chloe – where the hell is your brain? You're telling me he held onto this card for six months?" She threw up her hands, clearly exasperated. "It's obvious that night meant something to both of you."

"Even if that's true, he's pissed now and probably not in the mood to hear my explanations. So I really have no choice except to try and salvage our professional relationship given the buyout. It will be awkward, and I am not in any way looking forward to this barbecue, but there you have it." Chloe signaled the waitress for the bill. "By the way, Clark is aware that I met Oliver at the club, but he thinks I somehow insulted him and that's the source of his animosity towards me."

"Oh, Clark." Lois shook her head as she laid a few bills on the table. "I worry about him in the big bad city. He really is innocent if he can't read between the lines and see it's more than that."

"You didn't," Chloe told her.

"Sure, maybe I didn't guess that you pulled a one eighty and jumped him hours after meeting him, but I knew it was something big." Lois accepted her takeaway bag from the waitress and stood. "Are you headed back to the Planet?"

Chloe held up her bags. "I have Clark's dinner and we need to work on this story."

"Well, I'll walk with you and you can tell me about it on the way. And don't worry too much about the barbecue. Maybe his anger will blow over."

Chloe hoped her cousin was right; somehow she doubted it though. And if Oliver was still in the mood to toss cryptic insults her way, it was going to be a long and uncomfortable afternoon.

**A/N: As always, sorry for delays. A big thanks to sarahberah1121 at FF for offering to help me look over chapters – it was nice to have a second pair of eyes checking for typos and the like. The writing is going pretty quickly as I add scenes and tweak parts here and there, so I'll try to be quicker with the next one. Updates are also coming for Letting Go soon – there's one little part I've been reworking this weekend as time permitted. For those who asked, my kitty was doing better for about a week, and then she started the cycle again last week. I think this will be an ongoing problem until her surgery next month. On the bright side, I think I've found a housekeeper, so that's bound to free up some writing time ;-) Hope you enjoyed the update! Thanks for all the amazing reviews – I'll finish replying to those soon :-)**

**Up Next: One super awkward barbecue coming right up! Then there's a little meeting between Chloe and Green Arrow if you're interested ;-)**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Chloe stood at her bedroom window, arms crossed against the chill, and stared down at the park across the street. Though already March they'd had more snow the previous day, and a light dusting still coated the trees that stretched like dark sentinels against the blue-grey sky. Children were running through the park and laughing. Some were throwing snowballs and building snowmen while a few little girls appeared to be making snow angels. It was a scene that brought back memories of snowy days in Smallville with Pete and Clark, and it made her nostalgic for simpler times.

Pete was in Wichita now, a recent graduate of Wichita State University, and had plans to attend law school in the fall. They'd kept in touch here and there, but in the end Clark's secrets had driven a wedge between the two young men that affected Chloe's relationship with Pete as well. Clark was adamant about not telling Pete the truth since he felt guilty enough about putting her at risk. She had to agree that he had a point. Still, she mourned the loss of Pete's friendship.

Chloe had only found out about Clark's abilities freshman year after they witnessed Lex Luthor's car going off the bridge one winter day. Clark jumped into the river after him; she'd watched in stunned silence as Clark lifted the car, broke the window with his fist, and pulled Lex out. Thankfully, Lex's memories had been vague, and he'd accepted the teens' somewhat altered version of events. Clark had faked sick for a week afterwards, and Chloe actually had been sick, a side effect of being exposed to the elements after she slid down the embankment and waded into the river to help Clark.

Rather than try to deny what she'd seen, Clark told her the truth: that he had super strength and speed, was apparently impervious to harm (little green rocks notwithstanding) and his parents had been hiding that information since his adoption. At the time Chloe's assumption was that Clark was meteor infected, and that was what Clark believed as well. A couple of years later Jonathan Kent explained what he and Martha knew of Clark's origins. Armed with that new knowledge, Clark used a crystal found in his spaceship to make contact with an AI version of his father, Jor-El.

It had been a difficult year for Clark as he adjusted to the idea that he wasn't human, and he spent a lot of time brooding alone in his barn until Chloe badgered the truth out of him. It was the year that he had to reconcile what he wanted from his life with what destiny had in store for him. He'd hoped to play football for Met U like his father, and he'd finally caught the eye of Lana Lang, one of Smallville High's prettiest and most popular students. Clark was angry at the universe, and Chloe couldn't really fault him for his bitterness.

In the end Clark put all of that aside as Chloe had known he eventually would. He let Lana down gently and made plans to leave Smallville with the help of his parents and Chloe, intent on completing the training Jor-El planned for him. And the summer after they graduated he was gone, never knowing he'd left more than one broken heart behind.

Chloe had loved Clark long before she knew he had super powers, but her feelings hadn't turned romantic until freshman year when Clark escorted her to the spring formal. By that time, Clark longed for the ever elusive Lana, and Chloe's pride kept her silent on the subject. Later she hadn't wanted to burden him with her feelings; not when he was shouldering the weight of Jor-El's training and his uncertain future.

Chloe and Lana bonded over Clark's absence, and she commiserated with Lana that summer until the brunette beauty ditched her plans to attend Metropolis University and headed for Paris instead. She'd kept in touch sporadically since then. Chloe had recently learned that Lana was back in Metropolis, though neither she nor Clark had actually seen her. She'd expected Clark to be more interested in Lana's return, but he'd simply told her that while he wished Lana well, things had worked out for the best.

_Time and distance_, she mused. She supposed they really did heal all wounds. It had taken a lot of both for Chloe to get over Clark, though eventually she had done just that. Jimmy had a lot to do with the shift in her feelings. Then their relationship hit bump after bump when Clark returned to Kansas. In many ways he'd still been the Clark of her childhood, but there were notable differences. He was much more in tune with humanity and possessed several nifty new powers. He also had a plan to be an anonymous savior to citizens in need.

He'd enrolled at Metropolis University and continued training with the help of his long lost cousin, Kara, whom they'd rescued from the Phantom Zone shortly after his return. And Chloe was eventually confronted with hard choices between helping and protecting Clark and protecting her relationship with the affable photographer. Doing what was necessary certainly hadn't been an easy road to travel. Despite the fact she hadn't always succeeded, she felt like she'd done her best to find a balance.

Chloe's thoughts were interrupted when her bedroom door opened, and she turned to see Lois in the doorway. Lois crossed her arms and gazed at Chloe appraisingly.

"What?" Chloe asked.

"You're not wearing that, are you?"

She looked down at her outfit – comfortable jeans, her favorite orange cowl neck sweater, and brown boots. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing? It's Saturday, and the barbecue is informal."

Lois sighed. "There's no wow factor, Chlo."

Chloe snorted. "I am fairly certain that ship has sailed, Lois. Wow factor isn't going to make a difference. Meanwhile, it's freezing outside and I have a vested interest in staying warm and not catching cold due to misplaced vanity."

"Chloe, do you want him looking at you thinking he had a narrow escape or wishing he had another shot? Because right now you look like you're ready for a day mucking out Clark's barn," Lois replied. "You can do better."

Gazing in the mirror, Chloe conceded her cousin's point about her outfit; what had looked casually comfortable now seemed more like a sloppy co-ed's attire, and that certainly wasn't the image she wanted to project. She marched over to her closet and flipped through her options before pulling out a red sweater with a sweetheart neckline. "What about this?"

Lois shook her head. "Not red – you want attention without looking like you're going for attention." She joined Chloe at the closet and pushed aside outfits, finally pulling out a fitted, dark green suede blazer that Chloe hadn't worn since the previous fall. "This will bring out the color of your eyes. You should pair it with that plum colored silk camisole you bought at Christmas."

Chloe eyed the jacket. "Lois, that's for fall weather, not winter. I'll freeze."

"The barbecue is in the event room at the Hilton – it's not _actually _outside. And even if the grills are on the outdoor patio, they'll have heaters. The charity ball I went to with the mayor's son was held in January, but I still stayed toasty warm all night."

She walked over to her dresser and pulled out the camisole. Slipping it under the blazer, she had to admit they looked good together. Paired with the dark wash designer jeans she'd also bought at Christmas but hadn't worn yet and her favorite black leather boots, she'd definitely make an impression. "Green is his favorite color."

Lois raised her brows. "How do you know that?"

"He mentioned it that night," Chloe admitted softly. She cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders as she reminded herself not to get too sentimental. Going in looking her best was more about her than him. "Jewelry?"

"Keep it simple," Lois advised. "Silver works best with those colors, so maybe those flower earrings Clark gave you for Christmas?"

Chloe opened her jewelry box and pulled out the delicate silver earrings in the shape of plumeria flowers and the matching necklace. On impulse, she added a ring that had been her mother's. Small, white gold loops created a flower-like setting that held a single black pearl. While not silver, it would go with the other pieces well enough.

She changed quickly and used her curling iron to add a few waves to her shoulder length hair. Then she rummaged through her makeup bag until she found the makeup she'd bought in Star City. With Lois' help she used the plum, grey and pink shadows to create a subtle smoky eye appropriate for late afternoon to early evening. She filled in her lips with a nude pencil and layered soft pink gloss over it before stepping back to admire the final effect. She looked good, and it made her feel a bit more confident about facing Oliver that afternoon.

Lois was wearing a bright blue, V-neck sweater in a thin knit material with skinny jeans, black pumps, and a black leather jacket – city chic at its best. So when they stepped into the living room to find Clark in a sweatshirt featuring the logo of the Metropolis University basketball team, Chloe couldn't help laughing.

"No, no, no – you can't wear that!" Lois protested.

"It's a barbecue, not a formal event," Clark reasoned, adjusting his glasses. "It's also Saturday, and Met U is playing."

"Clark. Look at us, then look at you." Lois crossed her arms and tapped her toe against the hardwood floor. "We'll wait while you change."

Chloe noted the admiring glance Clark shot Lois even as he grumbled and rolled his eyes. "Clark, you know resistance is futile – look at me. This is not what I was wearing when she arrived."

Clark sighed. "Maybe you'd like to go through my closet…"

Lois was off before he finished his sentence. "Don't mind if I do."

"That was a joke, Lois," he called after her before looking at Chloe. "You look really nice, by the way. But that doesn't mean I want her dressing me like I'm her personal Ken doll."

"Just go with it – she's on a roll today," Chloe told him.

Ten minutes later, Clark emerged in newer jeans, a grey and blue pinstripe button up shirt worn under a dark grey sweater, and his best sneakers. When he saw Lois eyeing his sneakers, he headed her off. "It's the weekend – I'm wearing the sneakers."

Lois sighed. "Hopeless."

"Hungry," Clark corrected her, grabbing his jacket off the coatrack. "After you, ladies."

Lois and Clark continued their playful bickering as Chloe locked the door, and she shook her head in amusement. She had a feeling that her two favorite people secretly liked each other a lot more than either was willing to admit.

* * *

Oliver was talking to a couple of the staff photographers when he saw Lois Lane walk into the room followed by Chloe and Clark.

"Hey, there's Clark," Eric said. "I wonder if he knows the score."

"Probably," Jimmy answered him. He watched as Eric crossed the room to talk to Clark but made no move to join them, instead turning his attention back to Oliver. "Clark's a sports nut – mainly football and basketball."

That didn't surprise Oliver. "You're not into sports?"

"Uh, it's not that," Jimmy hedged. "Chloe and I broke up before her internship last summer, so things are still a little uncomfortable there."

"You dated Chloe?" The question was out before Oliver could stop himself. _Not your business, and you don't care_, he reminded himself even as his eyes drifted to Chloe once more. He just couldn't quite picture Chloe with the curly haired junior photographer. Then again he had trouble picturing her with the tall, good natured but slightly bumbling Clark Kent too. The man had only been in the room for a couple of minutes, but he'd already bumped into one of the waiters circulating with beer, soda and glasses of wine.

"Yeah, for almost two years. She and Clark grew up together in Smallville, but Clark studied abroad for a couple of years after high school. Then he came back, and they have this history that's hard to compete with."

He'd always hated history.

"Clark's a great guy though," Jimmy hurried to explain. "I don't want to give the impression that she cheated on me or he tried to break us up. Actually, I probably shouldn't even be talking about this." He looked a little uncomfortable now. "But yeah – sports. I like basketball. Met U is playing today – that's the score Eric was wondering about."

Oliver knew he shouldn't ask but he did it anyway. "So when did Chloe and Clark start dating?"

"Last summer?" Jimmy shrugged. "She went back to Smallville for about a month before her internship started. They've never said, but it makes sense because they moved in together when she got back. Anyway, I should get back to taking a few photos. Chief said we might run a spread on this barbecue, show the new family getting along. Nice talking to you, Mr. Queen."

Oliver snagged a beer from one of the passing waiters and headed out to the patio where the grills were. Heaters had been set up along the perimeter to combat the chilly winter air, and the smell of roasting meat drifted temptingly from the large grills manned by a couple of the best barbecue masters in the city.

The event had already been going on for about an hour. The Planet employees who worked on weekends were coming in shifts, and everyone seemed to be having a good time. Oliver had been circulating for the past thirty minutes. Overall Perry seemed to have a good group of employees. They were diligent and hardworking, and there was a general air of teamwork and cooperation.

Take Jimmy, for instance. A lot of guys might have trashed a former girlfriend, especially when faced with seeing her every day along with her new boyfriend. But he seemed to respect Chloe and Clark, and Oliver hadn't sensed any ill will there.

He turned to look back at Chloe, who was now standing with Lois and another woman that Oliver thought he recognized as one of the interns they were planning to hire, though he couldn't remember her name. Hard as he tried to fight it, he still felt the pull of attraction towards Chloe. He'd felt it at the staff meeting earlier in the week - the spark that shot through him when he took her hand. He'd even felt it while watching Chloe with Clark outside his office. Their easy familiarity with each other bothered him a hell of a lot more than he'd admit to anyone but himself.

And as much as he didn't want to, he felt it now. She was wearing a dark purple silk camisole that showed the tempting swell of her cleavage, and the dark green blazer added a sparkle to her eyes he could see even from where he was standing. Briefly he wondered if her color choice had been deliberate. He couldn't deny he was suffering from an unwanted sexual attraction to the little blonde vixen, but he wasn't suffering alone. He knew that much from the way she'd looked at him during that staff meeting.

So they were in the same boat; a small consolation, he supposed. Oliver tipped his beer back and noticed Clark at the buffet filling a couple of plates. Not giving himself a chance to overthink it, Oliver walked over to join him.

"So I hear you're the man to talk to about the basketball score," Oliver said by way of introduction as he grabbed a clean plate and surveyed the choices. Tess had gone all out on the catering – there was so much food that he knew much of it would be going to the local shelter at the end of the night.

Clark glanced up at Oliver with a smile. "Met U was playing a good game when we left, and I'm tracking the score on my phone. They're still winning. Are you a basketball fan, Mr. Queen?"

"Call me Oliver. I like basketball," Oliver answered. "I'm mainly a Lakers fan, though Star City has a pretty good team, too." They had made it down to the chips, dips and veggies section, and Oliver watched as Clark added a large helping of hot nacho bean dip and chips to one plate and some veggies, crackers and hummus to the other. "If you like hummus, you should try the muttabal with pita bread."

Clark juggled his plates. "This one is actually for Chloe. What's muttabal?"

"Eggplant dip."

"Oh, I don't think she'd like that. My mom made something with eggplant once when we were in high school and Chloe didn't like it," Clark explained. "And she usually loves everything my mom cooks."

Oliver made a conscious effort to relax his grip on the plate he was holding. "So you and Chloe go way back, huh?"

"She moved to Smallville when we were twelve," he replied, placing a few cheese cubes on Chloe's plate. "We've been best friends ever since."

"Her parents still live there?" The confident way Clark was adding all of Chloe's favorite foods to her plate was starting to irritate him. Jimmy's words about no one being able to compete with their history came back to him, and he could see how that might be true. Ten years was a hell of a lot of history. Oliver's closest friendships only went back about five, so it was hard for him to imagine.

"No, her dad's remarried and living in Colorado. She usually stays at my parents' farm when she's in Smallville."

They were in front of the drinks table now, and Oliver noted that Tess had ordered some of the same dark ale he'd bought for Chloe the night he met her. He wondered if Chloe had tried any of the ale or draft cider he'd introduced her to since leaving Star City. "And her mom?"

Clark cleared his throat. "Her mom died a long time ago."

A stab of pity hit Oliver since he knew what that was like. Somehow he'd pictured an idyllic small town upbringing for Chloe, but he could see now he'd been off the mark. He wanted to ask what happened to her mom but knew he was already pushing it with his questions. Instead, he pointed to the dark ale. "You should try that one – it's from California. I happen to know Chloe likes it."

Clark shot Oliver a strange look as he set the plates down and picked up one of the bottles to examine the label. "I've never seen Chloe drink beer."

"It's ale, actually. I bought her a bottle the night I met her in Star City." Oliver was treading on dangerous ground now, but he couldn't seem to stop himself. Clark knew more about Chloe than probably anyone outside her family, but he didn't know about the ale. Oliver found some perverse satisfaction in that.

Clark pushed his glasses up and cleared his throat. "Look, Mr. Queen…"

"Call me Oliver."

"Okay. Oliver. I know that you and Chloe got off on the wrong foot in Star City…"

"There's Perry and Tess," Oliver interrupted again, nodding toward Chloe's group. "Here, I'll carry the ale."

Oliver followed Clark across the room, noticing how Chloe stiffened the closer he got. She was definitely uncomfortable with him, and he found some perverse satisfaction in that, too. He handed over one of the bottles of ale, and her eyes widened as she recognized the label. When their eyes met, he felt a tightening in his gut.

"Little piece of California for you," he said, his tone slightly mocking. "I seem to remember you liked that one."

Tess glanced over at Oliver in surprise. "I didn't realize you two had met."

"Briefly," Oliver explained. "We weren't really on a first name basis." He didn't miss Chloe's sharp intake of breath at that or the flash of anger in her eyes before she carefully schooled her expression.

"Well, you had quite an entourage that night," she replied evenly, meeting his gaze head on. "I remember the Gazette ran some photos of you yachting with friends the next day, too."

"Yachting," Lois suddenly broke in. "Always sounds fun in theory, but I'm not crazy about the ocean."

"I like boats," Perry said. "I keep telling myself I might get a boat when I retire."

"Retire?" Chloe suddenly looked away from Oliver and smiled at Perry. "As in a retirement community in Florida and fishing on weekends? Somehow I can't picture that at all, Chief."

Perry laughed. "Ya got me, Sullivan. The truth is you'll be prying that editing pen from my cold, dead fingers before I retire. Once the fast pace of the news world is in your blood, it's hard to let it go. Now, is there something you two want to tell me?"

Chloe looked at Clark and then busied herself opening the bottle of ale she was still holding. "We're still following leads."

Oliver assumed she was talking about the recent string of home invasions and jewelry heists. He'd noticed that she and Clark were lead on that particular story. He wondered what kind of leads they were following and, more importantly, which parts of town their sleuthing might be taking them to. He had no doubt that Chloe had a nose for trouble and while she was capable, she wouldn't stand a chance against a group of armed thugs. Somehow, Oliver didn't think Clark would be the best backup either.

Clark seemed to remember the plates he was holding and handed one to Chloe. "We'll get it, though."

"Well, you two make a good team."

"Which is why Chloe calls me Her Boy Friday," Clark replied drily. "Keeping up with her is a full time job."

Oliver assumed a casual stance, but he kept his full attention trained on Chloe as the group began discussing various stories in the news. He sipped his beer, barely listening to the conversation. Chloe was definitely making an effort not to look in his direction, but the flush in her cheeks was enough to tell him she was aware of him watching her. Her cousin Lois, on the other hand, was looking at him. He had a feeling Chloe might have confided in her.

He observed Chloe and Clark carefully. If their relationship was so perfect, why had she gone home with him? She didn't strike him as the cheating type, so he couldn't help wondering if maybe Jimmy had the wrong idea. But did it even matter? They were clearly together now – comfortable invading each other's space, Clark eating crackers from her plate once his was empty. They were obviously close, but he didn't sense any real romance between them.

_Ten years_, he reminded himself. Being friends for that long would probably account for the old, married couple vibe they gave off. But Chloe was a passionate woman, and she deserved romance. Maybe that explained their night together in Star City. He just didn't understand how she'd been able to walk away from it so easily when he was having trouble letting it go. He couldn't look at her without images of that night flooding his brain, and it was simultaneously turning him on and pissing him off.

Oliver allowed his gaze to roam her petite figure as he remembered the way she'd responded to him – like every touch was a new experience for her. It was the kind of innocence women sometimes tried to assume, but Oliver certainly knew how to tell the difference. One thing he knew for sure was that Chloe hadn't faked anything that night.

When he felt himself responding physically, he tore his eyes away from her and took a long pull on his beer. Perry and Clark were discussing renovations now; apparently Chloe and Clark had been redoing their kitchen counters and repainting the walls of their apartment. Picturing that domestic little scene swung his mood straight back to pissed.

"We're almost finished, though." Clark grabbed another cracker from Chloe's plate. "My parents are driving up again next weekend. My dad and I can finally finish the kitchen, and Mom was working on some curtains for the windows. Sewing's not really Chloe's thing," he added with an amused smile in her direction.

"You make me sound hopeless," Chloe protested. She looked uncomfortable again, and her smile appeared to be slightly forced.

"Because you are hopeless," Lois told her. "But you have your career, so it's a tradeoff."

"Says the woman who can't boil water without blowing up the microwave," Chloe replied sweetly with a raised brow.

"Now, I bet Clark looks good in an apron," Perry joked. "A good househusband is bound to come in handy to a career girl like you."

Oliver choked on his beer, coughing and clearing his throat. "Sorry. Househusband?" They were getting married?

"Clark and I are _not_ engaged, Chief." Chloe looked upset by the turn the conversation had taken, and her expression when she glanced at Clark was more irritated than enraptured.

Clark looked apologetic as well as a bit sheepish, and Oliver wondered what that was about.

While Perry was oblivious to the reaction he'd garnered with his little joke, Tess sought to smooth over the awkward moment by introducing a neutral topic. A few minutes later the group broke up with Lois, Clark and Chloe moving towards the grills as Perry checked his messages and Tess led Oliver over to the windows overlooking the garden.

"What's going on with you and Chloe Sullivan, Oliver?" Tess crossed her arms, facing him with a raised brow.

Tess' no-nonsense tone rankled, and Oliver's reply was flippant. "What makes you think anything's going on?"

"Aside from the fact that you were mentally undressing her?" Tess rolled her eyes. "Oliver, remember who you're talking to. I've known you too long for you to bullshit me."

He ran a hand through his hair, looking away. "We crossed paths in Star City last summer."

"Crossed paths or ended up in bed together?"

He clenched his jaw. "Both. But it's done, so…"

"Okay," Tess said. "If it's done then why the hell were you baiting her in front of her boyfriend? Not to mention Perry. He's sharper than he lets on, and he definitely noticed something between you two. I know you like your little flings, but the last thing you need right now is the kind of publicity that goes along with breaking up a long term relationship between high school sweethearts."

"It wasn't a fling," he bit out. "It was… hell, I don't know." He looked at Tess, and he saw surprise and something else in her expression.

"I see." She looked back at Chloe and Clark. "Just be careful. Frankly, we need her on staff, Oliver."

"Fine. Are we done?" He didn't wait for her reply, striding across the room and out onto the patio to get some air. As far as he was concerned, his business in Metropolis couldn't be wrapped up fast enough. And once it was he planned to get on his jet and close the book on Chloe Sullivan once and for all.

* * *

Two weeks later the little blonde was front and center in his thoughts again, mostly because he was beginning to wonder if she had some kind of death wish.

Despite Tess' reservations, Oliver had suited up in pursuit of his own leads regarding the home invasion story, reasoning that it was exactly the kind of crime Green Arrow had taken an interest in before in other parts of the world. Victor had been doing his own research and had come up with a theory; that a local gang might be involved.

The problem was that this particular gang was known more for heavy handed violence and the occasional smash and grab rather than a carefully planned and executed heist. If they were involved in the home invasions, Oliver was sure that they were working with another group, which was why he'd decided to do a little first-hand reconnaissance.

Victor had also researched the gang leader, a man known as Crazy Eight due to his first arrest at eight years of age. Born Andre Thomas Waites, he was a career criminal who had run away from home at six and had an impressive police record a mere three years later. He'd been placed in a series of detention centers, group homes, foster homes – none had managed to break the cycle of criminal activities he engaged in.

Oliver found Andre and his crew with little trouble. They had claimed territory in the heart of Suicide Slums, and a few well-placed arrows and threats ensured Oliver got the information he needed. The gang seemed to split their time between a seedy little bar on the edge of their turf and a warehouse near the docks. Sneaking past Andre's guards at the warehouse had been easy, and Oliver found the man himself inside playing poker with some of his men.

After discovering some high end electronics in a back room that matched descriptions of stolen items, Oliver concluded that Victor was right about them being involved in the robberies. The question was to what extent? He still didn't think they could be pulling it off alone.

He made his way back to the room Andre and his men occupied, keeping to the shadows where a few stacked boxes provided adequate cover. And then he saw her crouched behind some boxes to his left. He closed his eyes, hoping he was imagining Chloe's presence in the warehouse. When he opened them she was still there, and she appeared to be recording the men's conversation on her smart phone.

Oliver looked around for Clark, but it seemed she was alone. Suddenly, he was angry. What the hell was she thinking coming to a place like this alone? If she were caught, they'd kill her for sure – or worse. Both scenarios caused a sick feeling in his gut, and he took a deep breath. First he needed to get her out of there; he'd yell at her later.

He made sure that the men were focusing all of their attention on the game before he moved silently, keeping to the back wall and approaching Chloe from behind. He simultaneously slid one arm around her waist and covered her mouth with a leather gloved hand. "Don't move."

Chloe stiffened, and he saw her hand clench around her phone before she nodded.

"I'm going to turn you around," he continued quietly, speaking against her ear. "Don't make a sound; if you do they'll hear you, and we're outnumbered. Better to sneak out than have to fight our way out."

She nodded again. Slowly, he turned her. Chloe's eyes widened when she recognized him, but she didn't speak, raising her hands to grip his forearms. She was close – too close. Oliver hoped the shadows were enough to keep his features hidden under the hood he wore.

"Good. Now, let's move to the left – we're going through the back room." Oliver took his hand away from her mouth, and she immediately followed his instructions. He noticed that Andre had left with two of his men, leaving three behind. They made it through the back room undetected, and they headed for the window that had been Oliver's access point. They were on the second story, so Oliver shot an arrow with a zip line attached.

"You'll have to slide down first," he told her.

"What about you?" she whispered back. She moved closer, looking up at him, her head tilted in a considering way. She didn't even seem that frightened, more… curious.

"I'll be right behind you," he promised.

She nodded and allowed him to lift her onto the windowsill, using her jacket to protect her hands as she slid down the side of the warehouse. Just as Oliver was about to follow her, he heard a noise behind him. He turned and fired, lodging an arrow in his would be assailant's throat, effectively cutting off any warning. He was out the window a moment later and safely on the ground within seconds. His bike was parked nearby. He could get Chloe somewhere safe before finding out exactly what she'd been up to.

But when Oliver looked around, Chloe was gone. He searched for her, at first thinking that she'd taken cover. An hour later he was forced to reevaluate. She wasn't anywhere in the vicinity, and he had no idea how she'd been able to move fast enough to get away without him seeing her. Since he hadn't heard a car, he concluded she'd walked from another location as he had. The guards hadn't altered their routine, so it was obvious she hadn't been caught.

Once Victor pulled security footage from a neighboring warehouse, he was able to shed some light on it. The camera showed Chloe rounding the corner and turning to wait for Oliver. But then she literally disappeared into thin air. Victor continued working with the video, slowing it down enough to catch a blurred figure in the frame just before Chloe vanished. Chloe was working with The Blur.

Oliver figured that explained why Clark hadn't been there. He imagined the other man might not like his girlfriend putting herself in danger. Oliver didn't like it either. Sure, The Blur had made it his personal mission to help people in need, and he'd been responsible for the capture of a few of Metropolis' worst criminals, but what did anyone really know about him? Oliver's team had obtained enough blurred footage to assume The Blur was male, probably with dark hair, but that was as far as they'd gotten in identifying him.

Landing on his balcony, Oliver stepped through the French doors into his penthouse apartment. He turned to close and lock the doors and froze, immediately sensing he wasn't alone. He turned, half expecting to see that Hal had dropped by unexpectedly. Instead he saw a woman step forward into the dim moonlight shining through the windows.

"Hi," Chloe said quietly. "I think we need to talk."

**A/N: Evil cliffie! A lot going on in this chapter I know – and lots going on in the next couple as well. A teaser for Ch. 7 – Chloe and Oliver… talk. Sort of ;-). I rewrote scenes from the next chapter while listening to 'Eavesdrop' by The Civil Wars – listening to it might give you an idea of what to expect.**

**Also - Lucy's back! Hal's back! Girls' night out! More misunderstandings, lots of tension, and the home invasions/heist story comes to a head in Ch. 7 to 8 (featuring a DC character and what I hope is a surprising twist for you guys.) I was hoping to post this after the chapter was beta'd, but they're going to work on the Internet lines starting tomorrow. Since I might be without Internet for the rest of the week, I decided to post it as is. If you notice any errors, let me know. Thanks for reading!**


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: This chapter rated M**

**Chapter 7**

Chloe's heart was pounding as she stood in the shadows of Oliver's living room waiting for him. After Clark picked her up outside the warehouse, he took her back to their apartment. But she was restless – too restless to sleep.

Oliver Queen was the Green Arrow. He was Star City's most famous vigilante, fighting crime and risking his life to make the streets a little safer. She still couldn't believe it, but she knew she was right. The moment she'd turned around and touched him, the moment he'd touched _her_, she just knew.

Knowing she'd never be able to convince Clark to drop her off in Oliver's living room and leave, she turned instead to Andrea Rojas, another intern. She also had meta abilities which she'd used to help Chloe and Clark on more than one occasion. It was with Andrea's help that Chloe had been able to locate that gang in the first place.

And now here she was, waiting. Her palms were sweating. How would he react? She had a feeling he wouldn't be thrilled that his secret was out.

She tensed when she heard him on the balcony. He stepped through the doors and turned to close them. Then he stilled, and she knew he was aware of her presence.

Chloe moved into the dim moonlight as he turned to face her. "Hi. I think we need to talk."

Oliver said nothing. After a tense moment, he barked out a laugh and pulled his hood back, removing his dark glasses. "Well, I guess my secret is out. Who else knows?"

"I'm sorry?"

He tossed his glasses on a table and turned back to her. "Come on, Chloe. I know you weren't working alone at that warehouse. We saw the video footage of you disappearing into thin air – only it wasn't a disappearing act, was it? You're working with The Blur."

"I didn't say anything about you," Chloe told him. "I would never do that."

"Then how the hell did you get up here?" Oliver waved a hand at his elevator. "My security is pretty damn good."

"And I'm pretty damn good at getting into places where I'm not supposed to be," she shot back. "But if you really want to know, I did have some help getting past your building security downstairs. The person who helped me had no idea why I wanted in, though and probably assumed it had something to do with a story. Once I got past the guys downstairs, getting up here was easy. So whichever IT grunt at Queen Industries told you that your system wasn't hackable deserves a spanking."

Oliver cracked a smile at that. "My IT grunt is actually the head of my IT department. I'm sure he'd be interested in talking to you." He sighed and stripped his gloves off. "Look, it's been a rough night. My whole team was looking for you after your little vanishing act, Chloe. You could have warned me you were going to take off."

"Your team?" When he shot her a look, she raised her hands in apology. "I'm sorry – obviously not my business. It all happened fast, and my… friend doesn't exactly announce plans before putting them into action."

"I know your 'friend' is a man," he commented. "I don't suppose you'd like to tell me about him?"

Chloe raised a brow. "Sure. As soon as you introduce your team." When he didn't answer her, she continued, "Yeah that's what I thought. Can't you just feel the trust in the room? It gives me the warm fuzzies."

"I guess I have no choice though, do I?"

"Hey." She stood up and moved to stand directly in front of him. She could feel the warmth radiating from his body, and it had a magnetizing effect – the same way it had when she first met him. And she'd felt it again in the warehouse. "I swear to you that your secret is safe with me. I will never tell anyone."

He stared down at her, brown eyes searching her green ones intently. "How did you know?"

She shrugged. "When you touched me, I just knew." There was more to it than that, but she didn't know how to put it into words. "You remembered me, didn't you? That's why you were so persistent that night. You remembered me from the alley two years ago."

Oliver raised his hand and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, allowing his fingers to slide through her hair down to her shoulder. Chloe shivered, and she felt her throat go dry. She didn't know why she couldn't let go of this attraction. She'd tried – tried not to think about him, tried not to remember that night. And it wasn't just about sex. She'd genuinely had fun with him. She'd let go and been a little more daring for once. She'd taken a risk, and she'd gotten burned. The problem was that she was still burning.

"I remembered you."

Then his mouth was on hers, and she moaned. She gripped his arms and kissed him back. She put everything into it – all of her pent-up passion, her frustration, even a little of the anger she felt towards him. She was confused about so many things, but she wasn't confused about this. She wanted him, and a part of her had known how this night would likely end before she came.

There were no protests when he turned her and lifted her onto his desk. She didn't care if she was going to regret this tomorrow, or the next day, or even an hour from now. Gone was the sensible Chloe who'd made a decision to leave him sleeping in his bed in Star City, who'd relegated Oliver Queen to a beautiful memory that had no place in her life going forward.

Chloe's jacket was already off, so she pulled her sweater and tank top up and over her head swiftly. Oliver was working on her jeans, and seconds later they joined her sweater and shoes on the floor beside the desk. That left her in black bikini panties and a black, red and blue striped bra – not exactly a matched set, but Oliver wasn't complaining as he yanked her forward. One hand slipped between her legs, and she would have fallen backward if his other arm weren't holding her up.

Two fingers slid inside her as his thumb circled higher, finding the magical spot with unerring accuracy. He was scary good with his hands, which was why she always found herself watching them. _Must be all that practice with the bow_, she thought, her brain sluggish in the wake of the hormones currently flooding her body. She'd felt a few twinges of discomfort at first, reminders that it had been months since anyone had touched her. They were forgotten now, and she lifted her hips a little in a seeking gesture.

Oliver kissed her again before moving to her neck, biting gently. "You're close, I can feel it."

She could feel it too, along with the clasp of her bra giving way. His mouth found her breast, suckling the peak, and that was all it took to send her flying. When she felt him shifting her, she opened her eyes. She was lying fully on the desk now, and she lifted her hips when he tugged at her panties, allowing him to slide them down her legs.

He was still wearing the leather vest and pants, and the almost pained look of desire on his face told her he wasn't going to stop and undress first. He unfastened the front of his pants swiftly and she wrapped her legs around his hips as he leaned over her. Then he was inside, his first thrust taking him halfway in.

She felt the discomfort again when he entered her. She bit her lip to stifle the sound it elicited, reaching up to grasp his arms. She dug her nails in slightly and pushed up, changing the angle of her hips in a way that allowed him to push more deeply.

Oliver was hesitating now, and she didn't want that. Chloe pushed against him again. "Please don't stop." She reached for the zipper on his vest and pulled it down, running her nails across his chest before heading south.

That was all it took. He pulled back and then thrust hard, hooking her legs over his arms which allowed him to get closer. She pulled him down until his chest rested against hers, the shock of the cool leather against her overheated body sending little frissons of pleasure through her. Oliver braced his arms beside her, careful not to strain the muscles of her legs.

Then he was moving again, thrusting steadily and deeply, and she couldn't stop the moans and little noises of excitement escaping her lips. Every time she cried out, it seemed to make him move faster. Chloe opened her eyes to see him watching her, and she couldn't look away. She'd never looked at anyone like this during sex. It was the kind of full, intense eye contact that made her feel naked in more ways than just physical, and it was a little frightening.

He broke first, pausing to push her higher on the desk. He followed, and she welcomed his full weight on her, one of his arms wrapping around her waist to guide her hips against his. She buried her face against the side of his neck as she came, cries and shudders wracking her body for minutes afterward as he kept moving in search of his own release.

Oliver's body relaxed against hers. Chloe held onto him, not ready to let go and think about what came next. There was so much she needed to say, and she still didn't know how to say it. But it seemed Oliver was in no mood to talk either. Instead, he pulled away a few minutes later and stripped off the rest of his uniform before lifting her from the desk.

He carried her up the spiral staircase, at the top of which was a large bedroom. He settled her on the bed and lay next to her. There was a skylight above them, and she could see a few scattered stars against the midnight sky. One door leading to the balcony was open. The breeze drifting in should have felt cold, but instead it felt good, probably because Oliver's large body beside hers was like a furnace.

Chloe couldn't resist reaching out and tracing the muscles in his arm. Her hand moved to his chest next and then down to the six pack she'd once teased him about. She propped herself on one arm and draped her body across his, running her fingers through his hair and down his neck, exploring gently.

Oliver didn't try to stop her, and he didn't break the silence that wrapped them in a bubble with only the moon and stars for company. He was still for a while, letting her touch him in all the ways she'd thought about since they'd last been together. And when he pushed her back against the pillows and slid his body over hers, she welcomed him.

* * *

She looked like some kind of angel in the moonlight – all silvery skin and golden hair and eyes brighter than the stars he could see through the skylight. She'd been an angel the first night he met her, too – a warrior angel armed with an attitude and a Taser, and the memory made him smile.

His angel was sleeping now. Only she wasn't his, and Oliver's smile faded. He felt claustrophobic all of a sudden, his feelings for the sleeping blonde in his arms threatening to rise up and choke him. How had he let himself get in so deep with a woman who wasn't free to return his feelings?

Oliver couldn't really kid himself on the subject anymore. In reality he barely knew her, but this wasn't just about sex or attraction or a stubborn refusal to allow her to dismiss him from her life. If it were, he'd be done already. He felt something for Chloe, and it mattered. What was going on between them mattered, and it pissed him off every time he thought about her leaving him in Star City.

And she was going to leave again. Pretty soon she'd wake up, get dressed, and go home to Clark. Fucking Clark Kent, the all-around goody two shoes who had something Oliver couldn't compete with – history, a complete groundwork laid and ready to build on. He'd heard the rumors at the barbecue. Half the staff expected Clark to propose by the time they graduated, and Oliver had no intention of sticking around long enough to see that.

Oliver pulled away from Chloe and quietly grabbed sweatpants and a t-shirt from his dresser. He put them on before walking downstairs. He opened the room behind the clock face and put away his leathers and his equipment. Then he went to his desk and picked up her clothes and shoes, placing them in a pile on the sofa.

He wiped the desk down and straightened everything back up until the only reminders of what had happened there earlier were the sleeping woman in his bed and her clothes piled on the sofa. Then he walked out onto the balcony and sat down, ignoring the cold. He needed to get his thoughts in order and think about how he was going to exorcise Chloe Sullivan once and for all.

* * *

The glare of early morning sunlight woke Chloe, and she stretched, wincing at the stiffness of her muscles. She opened her eyes to see she was alone in Oliver's bed. The apartment was quiet. Had he left?

She spotted her clothes and underwear folded neatly on the chair in the corner. Her jacket and purse were beside them, and her shoes were on the floor next to the chair. The message was clear. Here's your stuff – don't let the door hit you on your way out.

Sitting frozen on the bed, she thought about what to do. Should she talk to him and try to explain the whole mess with Clark? Would he even believe her?

Then again, what the hell made her think he even cared about that? It was clear she'd wounded his pride by leaving him to wake up alone in Star City. She guessed he didn't have much experience with that. But it wasn't like she'd done it to deliberately hurt him. It had never crossed her mind that she even had that power.

So maybe he was just done. As much as she'd like to be wrong, she didn't think he was busy making her breakfast downstairs. Either he'd left a note or he was waiting to tell her it was over; she'd prefer the note, but she suspected the latter. He'd gotten the opportunity to end things on his terms, and this was part of his exit strategy. It cheapened what had happened between them, and that made her angry.

She grabbed her clothes and her bag and went to the bathroom, showering quickly without washing her hair. Although she felt like crying, she held the tears at bay. He might want her gone, but she was leaving with her dignity.

By the time Chloe walked downstairs, she felt ready to face Oliver. And he was there, sitting at his bar wearing a suit and reading that morning's edition of _The Daily Planet_.

Oliver glanced up at her. "Good morning."

Good morning? That was all he had to say?

"Clark must be wondering where you are. Your phone has been buzzing since around 2:00 this morning." His tone had a definite edge to it, though his expression revealed nothing.

Apparently that wasn't all. "Things with Clark are…"

"Let me guess. Complicated?" Oliver put the paper down and stood up. "Chloe, your relationship with Clark is your business. Frankly, I don't want to hear the details. If there's trouble in paradise, you should be talking to him about it. As for what happened last night, it was obviously a mistake. It won't happen again."

Chloe could feel the color draining from her cheeks. She'd never had a guy tell her, straight to her face, that being with her was a mistake. It was blunt, and God did it hurt. He looked completely unbothered by it, though. Feeling her hands start to shake, she shoved one in her coat pocket and gripped the strap of her purse with the other. "I should go."

"Do you need a ride? I have to go into the office for a little while."

"No." She didn't need anything from him, and his coldness was making her stomach roll in a very unpleasant manner. She turned and walked to the elevator. Before she could close the gate and escape the hell her morning had become, Oliver stopped her.

"I know you have some leverage now since you know how I spend my nights," he said. "I just want to remind you that if you out me, you're putting the others on my team at risk, and they don't deserve that."

"I already told you that I have no intention of telling anyone," she replied shortly. "You're just going to have to trust me."

He shut the gate without another word, and she breathed a sigh of relief as he disappeared from sight. She pulled her phone out and sent a message to Clark, letting him know she was fine and on her way home. She knew he had a class that morning and didn't want him to be late because he was waiting for her.

But when she arrived at their apartment, Clark was still there. "Chloe…"

"I know, all right? I know I should have called, but things happened and I didn't and I'm sorry. Can you just spare me the lecture right now?" Chloe could feel her eyes burning, and as much as she didn't want to cry in front of Clark either, she didn't think she was going to be able to stop the tears anymore.

Pushing past her best friend, Chloe went to her room and closed the door only to have Clark pounding it down two seconds later. "Go to class, Clark."

"No. Not until you tell me what happened."

God, he was stubborn. She pulled the door open, intent on telling him to mind his own business. But the look of concern on his face was the last straw, and she burst into tears. Clark put his arms around her and she hugged him back as she let out everything she'd been feeling since she woke up.

After a few minutes she calmed down, and she let Clark lead her back into the living room. She sat on the sofa, grabbing some tissues to wipe her face and blow her nose as Clark brought her a cup of coffee. "Thanks. I really am sorry I didn't call."

"I thought you were just meeting Andrea for coffee."

Clearly, he no longer believed that story, and Chloe was tired of lying to him. "I lied. I went to see Oliver."

Clark pulled off his glasses and put them on the table as he sat beside her. "Chloe, what exactly happened between you and Oliver in Star City?"

Chloe looked away from him, feeling her cheeks burn. "I slept with him – that's what happened."

Her friend stared at her. "You had a relationship with him in Star City? Why didn't you tell me?"

"Because it wasn't a relationship, Clark. I was out with Lucy, having fun, and then he was there, and the attention was flattering, and I felt something for him, I guess. But I never intended it to be more than a fling, so I didn't even give him my name. I told him my name was Lois. I went home with him, and I left before he woke up the next morning. The end – until he showed up in Metropolis. You can imagine how surprised he was to meet Lois, and then me, and then you."

Clark remained silent, obviously thinking back and putting the pieces together. "That explains a lot, actually."

She swallowed hard, feeling more tears threatening. "I thought I could explain it to him so I went over there last night."

"And?"

"The way he sees it, I'm a liar and a cheater. I walked out on him in Star City, and by going over there last night, I gave him the opportunity to return the favor, so… we're done, I guess." She stood up, missing the hard expression on Clark's face. "You're going to be late for class if you don't leave now. And since I don't have class until 1:00, I'm going to take a nap, okay?"

"Okay." Clark hugged with one arm and put his glasses back on.

After he left, Chloe curled up on her bed and closed her eyes. She felt better now that she'd crossed Clark off the list of people she was lying to. All of the lies, even the ones about her fake relationship with Clark, had been getting to her lately. It was really time for them to deal with that.

* * *

Clark watched the numbers light up on the elevator grimly as he made his way up to the executive suites at Queen Industries. He'd wondered if Oliver would even agree to see him, but the guards downstairs gave him a visitor's badge after clearing him. And now Oliver's executive assistant was greeting him and ushering him down the quiet hallway.

While he was glad Chloe had finally opened up to him, he knew she hadn't told him everything. If she'd only gone there to talk to Oliver and he'd just asked her to leave, she wouldn't have been there all night. Oliver had clearly taken advantage of the situation before whatever else had happened or Chloe wouldn't have been crying about it. He hadn't seen her cry like that since her mother died, and thinking about it now made him angry all over again.

Oliver was on the phone when his assistant opened the door to announce Clark. Oliver continued the call with someone named Hal as they discussed plans for a visit. Clark heard Hal make a few crude jokes about picking up women, and his fist clenched around the small box in his pocket. When Oliver hung up, Clark flipped the box open and allowed the little green stone to fall into his palm.

He closed his fist around it, ignoring the wave of nausea as he felt the Kryptonite draining his powers. Neither Chloe nor Jor-El would approve of what he was about to do, but he didn't care so much about being the good guy at the moment.

Oliver turned as Clark stood. "What can I do for you, Clark?"

Clark swung, landing a solid punch to the other man's jaw and sending him crashing to the floor. While Oliver struggled to stand, Clark slipped the Kryptonite back into the box in his pocket and closed the lid, breathing deeply as the sweating and sick feeling suddenly passed.

"Fuck." Oliver held his jaw as he got to his feet. "You know I could have you arrested for assault, right?"

"Still worth it," Clark retorted. "I came here to tell you that Chloe is the best person I know. She doesn't deserve to be treated with a total lack of respect."

"You know what? Maybe I deserved that punch since I slept with your girlfriend, Clark. But what happened between us is as much her fault as it is mine. I didn't force her to stay last night," Oliver pointed out angrily. "And I sure as hell didn't ask her to pay me a midnight visit."

"No, you just took advantage of her feelings." Clark felt his hands curling into fists again and took a breath. "If you're just going to hurt her then stay away from her, Oliver." He pulled open the door and walked out.

His parents would be livid if Oliver pressed assault charges, and Chloe wouldn't be happy either. Jor-El would know what he'd done, and he was sure to get an ethics lecture on his next visit to the fortress. He was supposed to be a hero now, someone who followed the straighter and narrower path to justice. But like he'd told Oliver, some things were just worth it.

**A/N: Cutting here because it was a better place to stop than in the middle of girls' night out, which is coming next. I'll get it up soon, and I'm sorry about the delay with this chapter. Hope you enjoyed it! I know it's a little angsty, but Chloe and Oliver get another big push in the next chapter now that all the lies are starting to surface. I'm behind on replying to reviews, but I'll catch up by tomorrow I think. I really appreciate all the feedback on the story. Thanks for reading!**


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